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Private  lectures  to  mothers  and  da 


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PRIVATE  LECTURES 

TO 

MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS 


Ifv 


ON  SEXUAL  PURITY  ^^^i  ^ 

INCLUDING    LOVE,    COURTSHIP,    MARRIAGE, 

SEXUAL   PHYSIOLOGY,    AND    THE   EVIL 

EFFECTS   OF    TIGHT   LACING. 


BY 

D.  0.  TEASLEY, 

Author  of  "The  Holy  Spirit  and  Other  Spirits." 


"Know  thvself." 


'Virtue  based  on  intelllKence  is  always  safer  than  innocence 
based  on  ignorance." — Stall. 


MOUNDSVILLE,    W.    Va. 

OOSPEL  TRUMPET  COMPANY. 
1904. 


7^r 


Copyright,  1904, 
By  D.  O.  Teasley. 


DEDICATION. 


To  the  mothers  and  daughters  of  our  land 
who  are  interested  in  the  purity  of 
their   sex   this   book    is    re- 
spectfully dedicated. 


^ 


PREFACE. 


In  preparing  this  little  volume  for  the  public 
I  have  constantly  had  in  mind  two  things :  first, 
the  delicacy  of  my  subject;  secondly,  the  great 
need  of  wholesome  instruction  on  the  topics 
treated.  I  have  endeavored  to  present  what  I 
have  said  in  a  plain  yet  modest  style,  that  the 
simplest  may  understand  and  the  most  refined 
be  not  offended. 

The  principal  part  of  these  lectures  was  fii'st 
delivered  before  the  mothers  and  daughters 
of  the  Gospel  Trumpet  Home.  During  the 
time  that  they  were  being  delivered  mention 
was  made  of  it  in  the  Gospel  Trumpet,  which 
brought  several  letters  requesting  that- they  be 
j)ublished.  After  due  consideration  the  subject 
has  been  revised  throughout  and  some  valuable 
additions  made.  In  the  back  part  of  the  book 
will  be  found  definitions  of  the  scientific  terms 
employed  in  this  volume.  To  many  this  will  be 
useless,  but  some  will  find  it  helpful. 

With  a  humble  prayer  to  God  that  this  book 
may  be  an  inspiration,  to  the  mothers  and 
daughters  who  read  it,  in  living  nobler,  purer 
lives,  I  am 

Yours  for  Christ  and  purity, 

D.  0.  Teasley. 

Moundsville,  W.  Va.,  May  19th,  1904. 


CONTENTS. 
LECTURE  I. 

SEXUAL   PURITY. 

Danger   of   Ignorance 13 

Pure   Men   Look    to    Women    for    an    Example    of 

Chastity 17 

Woman 's  Influence  over  Man 18 

Impure  Thoughts,  and  Their  Causes 19 

Impure    Literature 20 

Nude    Pictures 21 

Criminal    Unchastity;    Its    Causes 22 

Three   Steps 22 

Three    Pictures 22 

Improper    Conversation 24 

Love  for  Money  and  Fine  Dress 25* 

LECTITRE  n. 

SEXUAL    PURITY — CONTINUED. 

Knowledge     a     Mother     Should     Impart     to     Her 

Daughter > 27 

Knowledge  a  Girl  Should  Have  Concerning  Her- 
self      29 

Knowledge    a    Girl    Should    Have    Concerning    the 

Opposite   Sex 34 

7 


8  CONTENTS. 

LECTURE  III. 

LOVE,    COURTSHIP,    AND    MARRIAGE. 

Love 38 

True    Love 39 

First    Love 42 

Perverted   Love 43 

The   Test  of  Love 45 

Courtship;    Its  Use   and   Abuse 48 

Its  Use 48 

Saved  Girls  Keeping  Company  with  Un- 
saved   Boys 51 

Choosing   a   Companion 52 

Its  Abuse 56 

Coquetry 57 

Undue   Familiarity 59 

The    Engagemerit 62 

Marriage 65 

History  of  Marriage 66 

The   Ceremony 69 

The   Object  of  Marriage 69 

Marrying  for  Money 70 

Marrying  for  Pity 's  SaTce 70 

Proper  Age  to  Marry 70 

Physical    Qualities 71 

Advantages   of   Marriage 71 

Marriage  between  Saint  and  Sinner....  72 

LECTURE  IV. 

SEXUAL    PHYSIOLOGY   AND  ANATOMY. 

The  Boy  and  Girl  Before  the  Age  of  Puberty 81 

Puberty  and  Its  Attendant  Changes 82 

Changes  in  the  Male  System 82 

Changes  in  the  Female  System 84 


CONTENTS.  9 

Generation 85 

Reproduction  of  Plant  Life 86 

Reproduction  of  Animal  Life 87 

The  Male  Generative   System 89 

The  Female  Generative  System 89 

The   Ovaries 89 

The  Uterus 90 

Fallopian    Tubes 90 

The    Vagina 91 

Menstruation 92 

Need  of  Early  Teaching 93 

Care    During    Menstruation 94 

Painful    Menstruation 94 

The  Menopause 96 

Female    Disorders 97 

Leucorrhea 97 

Uterine  Displacement 98 

Causes 98 

LECTURE  V. 

TIGHT    LACING    AND    DRESS. 

Effects  of  Tight  Lacing  on  the  Human  System.  .  .  .  103 

The  Heavenly  Feet  Society 106 

Belts  and  Tight  Clothing 107 

Common-Sense  Clothing 107 

Glossary , Ill 


PRIVATE  LECTURES 

TO 
MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS. 


LECTURE  I. 

SEXUAL  PURITY. 

Danger  of  Ignorance. — Pure  Men  Look  to  Women  for  an 
Example     of     Chastity.— Woman's     Influence    over 
Man. — Impure   Thoughts,   and   Their   Causes. — 
Impure  Literature.— Nude  Pictures.— Crim- 
inal   Unchastity;     Its    Causes.— Three 
Steps.— Three    Pictures.— Improp- 
er    Conversation. — Love     for 
Money    and    Fine    Dress. 

Dear  Friends:  You  have  requested  me  to 
speak  to  you  on  the  subject  of  sexual  purity, 
and  with  the  greatest  of  pleasure  I  attempt  to 
tell  you  of  some  of  the  things  the  Lord  has  so 
graciously  taught  me  through  observation  and 
study.  You  are  all  aware,  no  doubt,  that 
we  live  in  perilous  times.  Lustful  men  and 
unclean  spirit^  lurk  on  every  hand,  ready  at 
any    moment    to    defile    our    characters    and 

11 


12  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

blight  our  souls,  and  the  only  way  for  us 
to  obey  the  injunction,  "Keep  thyself  pure,"  is 
to  have  an  understanding  of  the  wily  schemes 
of  Satan,  and  beware  of  them. 

Many  people  have  so  much  false  modesty  that 
they  can  not  listen  to  good  Scriptural  instruc- 
tion on  the  subject  of  sexual  purity;  but  the 
time  has  come  for  us  to  lay  aside  all  such 
false  modesty,  and  unmask  and  bring  to  light 
the  things  which  are  arrayed  against  the  purity 
of  our  race.  Never  in  the  history  of  the  world 
was  there  a  time  when  uncleanness  and. sexual 
impurity  were  more  prevalent  than  at  the 
present.  Virtue,  or  personal  purity,  is  a  price- 
less gem  too  often  undervalued.  As  many  girls 
never  realize  the  worth  of  a  mother  till  she 
is  gone;  so  it  is  with  virtue,  many  never  think 
of  its  worth  till  they  have  bartered  it  away, 
and  they  find  themselves  fast  on  the  road  to  ruin. 

' '  Virtue  lost,  all  is  lost ; ' '  therefore  prize  your 
virtue  as  you  would  your  soul,  stand  by  it,  de- 
fend it;  God  has  given  it  to  you,  and  you  must 
retain  it  or  lose  your  all.  Sexual  purity  does 
not  consist  alone  in  avoiding  criminal  acts  of 
unchastity,  and  keeping  out  of  the  brothel,  or 
house  of  ill  fame ;  but  those  who  would  be  pure 
in  the  truest  sense,  must  guard  the  mind  and 
heart;  cast  down  every  imagination,  and  bring 
into  captivity  every  thought  to  the  obedience 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  13 

of  Christ.  Woman  is  the  fairest,  the  tenderest, 
and  the  most  refined  of  all  God 's  creation ;  but, 
when  fallen,  that  which  is  the  highest  becomes 
the  lowest.  The  more  tender  and  delicate  a 
flower,  the  more  worthless  it  becomes  when 
marred. 

/  DANGER    OF    IGNORANCE. 

It  is  estimated  that  there  are  about  twelve 
/nillion  young  ladies  in  the  United  States  be- 
tween the  ages  of  fourteen  and  twenty-eight, 
and  thousands  of  them  are  falling  every  year. 
Did  you  ask  the  cause  ?  Ignorance  of  the  worth 
of  their  virtue ;  ignorance  of  their  own  nature ; 
and  ignorance  of  the  wiles  of  lustful  men,  im- 
pure literature,  and  the  influence  of  bad  com- 
pany— these  are  almost  invariably  the  causes  of 
their  downfall.  Many  well-meaning  mothers 
conceal  from  their  daughters  the  very  knowledge 
that  they  should  impart  to  them,  and  thus 
miss  the  end  which  they  seek  to  gain— the  pres- 
ervation of  their  daughters'  purity.  "Knowl- 
edge is  power,"  and  the  mother  who  keeps  from 
her  daughter  the  knowledge  of  her  nature  and 
sex  sets  a  snare  for  her  downfall  and  robs  her 
of  one  of  her  best  means  of  protection.  Oh, 
the  sad  hearts !  Oh,  the  fallen  girls !  who  be- 
moan their  sad  fate  to-night,  because  of  the  lack 
of  a  mother's  counsel.    Many  a  mother  who  to- 


14  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

night  mourns  the  doAvnfall  of  a  beloved  child 
could  have  escaped  the  heartaches  and  prevented 
the  fall,  had  she  armed  her  child  with  the  best 
of  earthly  weapons — knowledge./ 

Every  girl  should  be  given  good  wholesome 
instruction  concerning  her  nature  and  sex,  that 
she  may  guard  her  virtue  and  preserve  her 
health.  Preferably  such  instruction  should  be 
given  by  the  mother;  good  books,  however,  are 
excellent  and  valuable  in  imparting  a  knowledge 
of  sexual  physiology,  hygiene,  etc.  Girls  who 
are  neglected  by  their  mothers  and  not  allowed 
to  read  good  literature,  often  learn  in  the  school 
of  experience,  where  Satan  is  the  principal,  and 
Ignorance,  Passion,  and  Evil  Companions,  are 
the  teachers,  the  things  they  should  have  learned 
on  mothers '  knees ;  and,  worst  of  all,  their  health 
and  their  virtue  pay  the  tuition.  The  fallen 
of  every  neighborhood,  and  the  slums  of  every 
city,  present  striking  pictures  of  the  disciples 
of  this  diabolical  school. 

Mothers,  protect  your  daughters  from  ill 
health  and  degradation  by  taking  them  in  your 
arms  and  telling  them  all  about  themselves,  and 
the  evils  of  this  wicked  world.  If  you  do  not 
give  them  this  instruction,  they  will  learn  it  of 
others  who  do  not  love  them  as  you  do,  and 
they  may  be  led  astray.  Girls  will  learn  about 
the  evils  of  the  world— they  can  not  help  learn- 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  15 

ing,  and  how  much  better  it  is  for  them  to  be 
instructed  by  a  loving  mother,  who  will  warn 
the  soul  of  its  dangers,  than  to  learn  from 
evil  companions,  who  will  lead  to  the  downward 
track.  Oirls,  especially  young  girls,  have  an 
imperative  desire  to  understand  the  secret 
things  of  their  natures,  and  if  it  is  unfolded  to 
them  in  the  right  way,  they  will  hold  such 
knowledge  sacred:  but  if  they  are  left  to  find 
out  as  best  they  can,  the  Iniowledge,  when 
gained,  is  robbed  of  its  sacredness;  and,  worst 
of  all,  the  knowledge  gained  from  worldly  asso- 
ciates is  often  worse  than  ignorance.  Do  not 
think  that  your  girl  is  too  good  to  be  misled, 
for  many  strong  ones  have  fallen.  Knowledge 
will  not  hinder  the  strong,  and  is  sure  to 
strengthen  the  weak. 

Many  women  who  have  lost  their  health  can 
take  a  retrospective  view  of  their  lives,  and 
discover  the  cause  of  years  of  suffering  to  be  a 
lack  of  knowledge.  Many  girls  on  arriving 
at  the  catamenial  period,  have  been  known  to 
ruin  their  health  by  some  act  which  was  directly 
caused  by  ignorance.  When  a  moment's  folly, 
caused  by  ignorance,  may  blight  a  happy  life, 
or  wreck  a  healthy  body,  should  we  neglect  to 
give  instructions^  One  writer  has  aptly  said, 
**  Virtue  based  on  intelligence  is  always  safer 
than  innocence  based  on  ignorance.'*     Virtue, 


16  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

when  based  on  intelligence  is  surrounded  by  a 
safeguard;  but  innocence  founded  on  ignorance 
is  exposed  to  the  ravages  of  pollution — unar- 
mored  and  weaponless. 

In  the  matter  of  sexual  purity,  as  in  all  other 
things,  we  should  seek  the  help  of  God;  but  we 
have  a  part  to  perform,  and  without  the  proper 
enlightenment  we  are  unable  to  do  our  part; 
and  if  our  part  is  allowed  to  go  undone,  God 
has  not  promised  to  keep  us.  When  we  have 
met  the  conditions  of  the  Word  of  God,  then, 
and  not  until  then,  can  we  obtain  the  help  of 
God.  All  to  whom  I  speak  to-night  have  cer- 
tainly felt  and  realized  the  help  and  power  of 
God  in  the  fight  for  purity;  assuming,  there- 
fore, that  you  will  seek  the  help  of  God,  first, 
last,  and  all  the  time,  I  shall  speak  more  espec- 
ially at  present  of  our  part. 

That  we  have  a  duty  to  perform  in  resisting 
the  lust  of  the  flesh,  is  an  undeniable  fact; 
therefore,  let  us  not  expect  God  to  do  for  us, 
that  which  he  has  commanded  us  to  do  for  our- 
selves. "Flee  youthful  lusts;  lay  hold  on  eter- 
nal life."  Jesus  says,  ''Cast  on  me  your 
cares;"  but  we  can  not  cast  on  him  our  duties. 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  17 

PURE  MEN  LOOK  TO  WOMEN  FOR  AN  EXAMPLE 
OP   CHASTITY.' 

]\Ien  who  are  pure  at  heart  always  think 
high]}^  of  women ;  but  men  who  are  low  and 
sensual  themselves  often  see  nothing  in  women 
but  that  which  corresponds  to  their  own  per- 
verted natures.  It  seems  natural  for  a  pure 
man  to  look  to  woman  for  an  example  of  virtue ; 
he  sees  in  her  that  God-given  character  and  re- 
finement of  nature  which  inspires  him  to  noble 
thoughts  and  deeds;  he  feels  that  she  has  a 
place  in  life  to  fill  which  nothing  else  can 
suj^ply.  Only  the  lowest  of  men  seek  the  de- 
struction of  woman's  virtue;  and  often  when 
a  woman  loses  her  virtue,  men  feel  sad,  while 
women  gossip.  Too  often,  sad  to  say,  when  a 
girl  falls  from  the  plane  of  purity,  the  tongue 
of  woman  is  first  to  paint  the  scene  blacker. 
Let  me  beg  of  you,  my  hearers,  never  to  speak 
lightly  of  your  fallen  sisters;  for  they,  above 
all  others,  need  your  help  and  comfort. 

While  men  look  to  women  for  purity  and 
virtue,  they  are  often  disappointed;  for  some- 
times she  Avho  is  fairest,  falls  as  low  as  the 
lowest.  Nothing  is  so  attractive  to  a  pure  man 
as  woman's  virtue,  and  nothing  is  so  disgusting 
to  him  as  her  lewdness.  A  man  will  strive  for 
years  to  gain  the  heart  of  a  woman  who  is  re- 


18  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

served,  but  will  turn  with  disgust  from  a 
woman  who  is  too  forward.  Dear  girls,  if  you 
would  win  the  heart  of  a  pure  man,  never  be 
forward. 

woman's  influence  over  man. 

^  Woman's  power  over  man^for  ^ood  or^eyil^ 

P  is  almost  unlimited,  and  the  sooner  all  virtuous 

women  find  it  out  the  better.  How  often  we  see 
a  reckless,  shiftless  man  raised  to  the  plane  of 
real  manhood  and  industry  by  marrying  a 
noble  woman.  On  the  contrary  we  often  see  the 
life  of  a  noble  man  blighted  by  being  unfortu- 
nately united  with  an  indolent,  brawling,  or  un- 
chaste woman. 

If  women  would  firmly  resolve  to  never  marry 
men  who  are  drunkards  or  gamblers,  saloons 
and  gambling-dens  would  soon  be  things  of  the 
past.  Men  would  soon  prize  their  virtue  much 
more  highly  than  they  do  if  women  would  recog- 
nize the  fact  that  a  fallen  man  is  no  better  than 
a  fallen  woman.     Women  overlook  in  men  that 


which  they  abhor  in  their  own  sex;  and  as  long 
as  they  do  so,  men  will  continue  to  think  that 
they  have  a  right  to  break  the  laws  of  sexual 
purity.  Every  girl  should  set  for  herself  the 
highest  standard  of  virtue,  and  resolve  that  if 
she  weds,  her  husband  shall  be  a  pure  and 
virtuous  man.     Man  will  do  more  for  woman 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  19 

than  for  all  other  earthly  treasures;  and  if  he 
knew  that  woman's  unchanging  standard  was 
purity,  purity  would  be  his  daily  companion. 
To  this  there  may  be  exceptions,  for  some  men 
seem  to  care  for  nothing;  but  with  the  majority 
it  is  true. 

Seeing  that  woman's  influence  over  man  is  so 
great,  it  is  sad  to  know  it  is  sometimes  wielded 
for  the  wrong.  Friendly  hearers,  your  influence 
over  the  opposite  sex  is  great,  and  may  God  help 
you  to  always  use  it  for  the  betterment  of  man. 

IMPURE  THOUGHTS,  AND  THEIR  CAUSES. 

There  is  a  great  deal  of  truth  in  the  old 
adage,  "An  idle  brain  is  the  devil's  workshop." 
As  long  as  we  are  in  a  conscious  state  we  are 
continually  thinking,  thinking,  thinking;  and  if 
we  do  not  keep  our  minds  filled  with  pure 
thoughts,  evil  ones  will  gain  admittance.  Few 
people  realize  the  importance  of  right  thinking. 
The  brain  is  somewhat  like  the  sensitive  plate 
in  a  photographer's  camera,  when  the  exposure 
is  made ;  that  which  is  before  the  camera  leaves 
an  impression  on  the  plate;  so  it  is  with  the 
brain,  all  that  passes  through  the  mind  makes 
a  slight  impression  on  the  brain.  As  our  feet 
often  traversing  the  same  route,  make  a  path,  so 
the  thoughts  which  course  our  minds,  leave  a 
track.     In  this  way  mental  habits  are  formed. 


20  PRIVATE  IJ]]CTURES 

The  same  thoughts  often  coursing  the  brain 
make  a  furrow,  or  path,  and  when  the  path  is 
well  beaten,  it  is  very  difficult  to  turn  the 
thoughts  from  their  regular  course.  Some  one 
has  said,  ''Sow  a  thought,  reap  an  act;  sow  an 
act,  reap  a  habit;  sow  a  habit,  reap  a  character; 
sow  a  character,  and  you  reap  a  destiny." 

Life  is  made  up  of  habits,  which  are  good  or 
bad,  according  as  our  thoughts  are  pure  or  vile. 
There  is  some  truth,  at  least,  in  the  saying,  "As 
a  man  thinks  so  is  he."  The  mind  is  the  gate- 
way to  the  soui,  and  if  it  is  not  kept  well  closed 
against  evil  thoughts,  the  soul  is  sure  to  be  de- 
filed. Evil  thoughts  come  unbidden;  what  we 
see,  hear,  read,  or  feel,  may  luring  thoughts  to 
our  minds  which  we  should  not  entertain;  and 
the  only  way  for  us  to  conquer  them  is  to  cast, 
them  out  at  once  and  fill  their  places  with  pure 
ones.  Thoughts  are  like  visitors;  if  they  are 
not  entertained,  they  will  not  stay  long. 

No  thoughts  of  gratifjdng  the  passions  should 
be  allowed  to  have  a  place  in  the  mind  for  one 
moment.  .Though  no  one  may  ever  know  you 
had  such  thoughts,  and  though  your  lips  be  as 
silent  as  the  grave,  these  thoughts  will  stain 
your  soul  and  weaken  your  character. 

Impure  Literature. — Possibly  nothing  is  more 
conducive  to  these  lewd  day-dreams  than  the 
reading    of    novels,    love   stories,    and    impure 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  21 

literature.  Among  the  many  other  objection- 
able books  which  tend  to  weaken  the  mind  is  a 
class  of  books  which  purports  to  teach  sexual 
purity,  yet  are  written  in  such  a  style  as  to  ex- 
cite the  animal  nature,  and  awaken  unholy  de- 
sires. There  can  be  no  objection  to  books  treat- 
ing on  sexual  physiology,  the  relation  of  the 
sexes,  etc.,  provided  they  are  written  in  a  sin- 
cere and  modest  style.  Even  the  plainest 
language  on  this  subject,  when  clothed  in  a 
spirit  of  sincerity  and  earnestness,  can  not  be 
objectionable.  Beware  of  the  information  re- 
ceived from  patent-medicine  pamphlets,  and 
advertisements  published  by  quack  doctors;  for 
they  seek  money  rather  than  the  good  of  their 
readers. 

Nude  Pictures.— These  are  another  source  of 
evil  thoughts,  and  they  should  be  allowed  no 
place  in  the  home.  Fanciful  visions  of  gratified 
passions,  fictitious  love  stories,  and  nude  pic- 
tures, are  all  instruments  in  the  hands  of  the 
devil,  used  to  poison  the  mind  and  weaken 
the  character.  There  are  enough  books  that  are 
instructive,  and  pictures  that  are  pur€,  to  en- 
tertain our  thoughts  and  attract  our  eyes  with- 
out reading  trashy  books  or  looking  at  vile 
pictures. 


22  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

CRIMINAL    UNCHASTITY— ITS    CAUSES. 

Three  Steps.— There  are  three  degrees  of  sex- 
ual impurity,  all  of  which  are  alike  sinful. 
They  are:  (1)  Mental  impurity,  or  lewd 
thoughts;  (2)  Secret  adultery;  and  (3)  Prosti- 
tution. By  this  it  will  be  seen  that  there  are 
but  three  steps  from  virtue  to  ill  fame,  from 
purity  to  debauchery,  from  honor  to  the  depths 
of  sin.  Boys  are  often  warned  of  the  first 
drink,  which  leads  many  to  a  life  of  drunken- 
ness, and  girls  should  be  as  faithfully  warned  of 
the  first  approach  of  mental  impurity,  which 
leads  thousands  to  the  brothel,  to  a  life  of  de- 
bauchery, ill  health,  and  shame.  After  the 
first  step  is  taken  and  the  mind  is  once  corrupted, 
the  remaining  two  steps  to  outbroken  crime  are 
comparatively  easy. 

Three  Pictures. — There  are  three  successive 
pictures  of  the  life  of  a  fallen  woman.  The 
first  represents  her  before  her  beauty  has  faded, 
surrounded  and  supported  by  lustful  men,  many 
of  whom  stand  high  in  society,  some  of  them 
even  being  married  men.  The  second  scene  pic- 
tures her  robbed  of  her  beauty,  despised  by  her 
former  admirers,  and  cast  out  on  the  world  to 
earn  a  livelihood  as  best  she  can,  either  by  hard 
work  or  by  prostitution.  A  great  many  clerks 
in  department  and   other  stores   in   the   large 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  23 

cities,  are  of  this  class  of  girls.  And  here, 
filled  with  lustful  spirits,  they  ''lie  in  wait  to 
deceive,"  and  many  young  men  are  led  astray 
by  their  lascivious  influence.  Many  of  these 
saleswomen  do  not  earn  enough  to  clothe  and 
board  themselves,  consequently  resort  to  a  life 
of  ill  fame  to  satisfy  their  hunger  and  keep 
themselves  in  clothing. 

The  third  picture  of  a  fallen  woman  is  a  dark 
one.  With  her  once  bright  eyes  bloodshot  and 
swollen,  her  once  rosy  cheeks  pale  and  sallow, 
and  her  once  healthy  body  filled  with  sickness 
and  disease,  she  drags  her  shattered  frame  and 
blighted  soul  to  the  slums,  here,  among  the 
lowest  of  the  low,  to  eke  out  a  miserable  ex- 
istence. Now  robbed  of  all  that  is  pure,  and 
filled  with  the  most  loathsome  of  diseases,  she 
wanders  about  from  the  brothel  to  the  stale-beer 
dive,  begging  for  food  and  liquor.  Hated  by 
those  who  have  helped  to  cast  her  down,  she 
wanders  from  dive  to  den,  curses  the  day  she 
was  born,  and  longs  for  death  to  release  her 
of  earthly  pain.  Here  we  halt  and  turn  from 
the  scene  with  horror.  Dark  picture !  you  ex- 
claim. Yes,  my  friends,  dark  indeed;  but  1 
shall  not  proceed  to  picture  the  darkest ;  for  the 
black  shades  of  crime,  if  painted,  would  be  too 
horrifying  to  look  upon.  While  the  last  of  thesr? 
sad  pictures  looks  Yery  dark  it  should  be  re- 


24  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

membered,  that  evil  thoughts  were  the  first  to 
spoil  the  white  canvas  of  virtue. 

Improper  C 07iversation. -^Idle  conversation  of 
every  kind  should  be  shunned  by  those  who 
would  keep  themselves  pure.  Girls  are  apt  to 
engage  in  light  and  foolish  conversation,  which 
exposes  them  to  temptations  and  evil  thoughts. 
Young  girls  especially  are  full  of  life,  and  if 
unwarned,  are  liable  to  drift  into  foolish  talk- 
ing. The  minds  of  many  girls  are  continually 
filled  with  thoughts  of  the  opposite  sex,  and,  as 
a  consequence  of  their  thoughts,  they  enjoy  no 
other  conversation  so  well  as  talking  about  their 
beaua.  One  writer  has  called  this  class  "Gush- 
ing girls."  They  arc  always  ready  to  bubble 
forth  a  stream  of  foolish  talk.  They  are  in- 
clined to  use  many  soft  words,  and  make  use  of 
the  latest  slang,  which  is  anything  but  a  mark 
of  purity. 

Many  women  have  a  habit  of  teasing  girls 
about  the  opposite  sex,  and  in  this  way  young 
girls  are  often  filled  with  the  thoughts  of  ' '  catch- 
ing a  beau"  before  they  are  old  enough  to  be 
off  their  mothers'  knees.  Many  girls  never  hear 
anything  about  the  opposite  sex,  from  their 
mothers  or  any  one  else,  except  what  they  hear 
in  foolish  conversation.  How  sad  that  so  sacred 
a  subject  should  be  treated  so  lightly.  The  habit 
of  teasing  young  people  about  the  opposite  sex 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  25 

is  detrimental  to  spirituality,  destructive  to 
purity,  and  an  abomination  to  God.  Beware  of 
these  "gushing  girls,"  foolish  talkers,  and 
teasers,  and  either  reprove  them,  or  shun  their 
company. 

Love  for  Money  and  Fine  Dress.— "The  love 
of  money  is  the  root  of  all  evil, ' '  and  the  love  of 
dress  is  its  twin  sister.  Pride  of  heart  and  a 
love  for  money  have  caused  many  a  dear  girl 
to  lose  her  virtue.  Many  innocent  country  girls 
go  to  the  city  to  earn  a  livelihood,  and  in  a 
few  years  are  led  astray.  Being  unable  to  keep 
up  with  the  fashion,  and  dress  as  the  pride  of 
their  hearts  demands,  they  finally  sell  their 
purity  for  money  and  dress.  The  liquor  habit, 
it  is  true,  leads  many  astray,  but  if  it  were  left 
for  me  to  decide  which  was  the  worst,  drink 
among  men,  or  fashion  among  women,  I  should 
be  at  a  loss  to  know  how  to  decide.  To  be  drunk 
on  fashion  is  little  better  than  to  be  drunk  on 
liquor.  To  my  mind  Mrs.  Nation  and  her  fol- 
lowers would  do  as  well  to  use  their  hatchets  on 
the  millinery  stores  as  on  the  saloons. 

With  these  remarks  we  leave  the  subject  with 
you  for  this  evening,  praying  that  God  may 
bless  you  all  and  keep  you  pure. 


LECTURE  n. 

SEXUAL    PURITY — CONTINUED. 

Knowledge  a  Mother  Should  Impart  to  Her  Daughter. — 
Knowledge  a  Girl  Should  Have  Concerning  Her- 
self.— Knowledge     a     Girl     Should     Have 
Concerning       the       Opposite       Sex. 

Dear  Friends  :  I  am  before  you  this  evening 
to  continue  the  talk  on  sexual  purity.  I  spoke 
to  you  last  evening  about  the  power  of  knowl- 
edge and  the  dangers  of  ignorance,  and  I  wish 
to  bring  before  your  minds  first  of  all  this  even- 
ing a  few  thoughts  concerning  the 

KNOWLEDGE    A    MOTHER    SHOULD    IMPART    TO 
HER    DAUGHTER. 

The  relationship  between  a  mother  and  her 
daughter  should  be  one  of  the  closest  of  human 
ties.  Oirls  are  confiding  creatures,  and  no  one 
is  a  safer  confidant  than  a  loving  mother.  Too 
many  mothers,  sad  to  say,  do  not  retain  their 
daughters'  confidence.  Very  often  the  mother 
thinks  that  she  is  too  busy  to  listen  to  the 
daughter's  inquiries;  and  when  a  question  is 
asked,   instead   of  carefully  explaining  it,   she 

27 


28  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

will  often  say,  ''Oh,  don't  bother  me!"  With 
such  rough  usage  the  tender  feelings  of  the  girl 
are  crushed  and  the  next  time  she  fears  to  ask 
her  mother. 

About  the  age  of  twelve  or  fourteen,  with  the 
bloom  of  womanhood,  there  come  to  the  girl 
many  mysterious  and  perplexing  questions  that 
none  but  a  mother  can  rightly  answer.  Even 
before  this  age  there  are  many  questions  that 
present  themselves  to  the  minds  of  both  boys 
and  girls,  that  should  be  settled  by  a  mother's 
counsel.  If,  when  the  questions  are  asked,  the 
girl  is  refused  the  answer,  and  forbidden  to  ask 
such  questions,  the  mother  need  not  be  sur- 
prised, if  in  after  years  the  daughter  refuses 
to  confide  in  her  the  secrets  of  life. 

At  the  age  of  puberty  the  young  girl  begins 
to  form  an  independent  will,  and  an  individu- 
ality more  separate  and  distinct  from  the  parents 
than  has  been  noticed  heretofore ;  and  if  before 
this  time  the  daughter  is  not  trained  to  trust 
to  mother's  counsel,  she  is  more  likely  to  keep 
her  secrets  and  do  as  she  pleases.  If  a  girl  has 
been  taught  from  childhood  to  confide  in  mother, 
when  womanhood  comes  with  its  many  tempta- 
tions and  dangers,  she  is  more  likely  to  tell 
mother  about  her  troubles. 

Girls  should  tell  their  mothers  all  they  know, 
but  beware  of  grandma  match-makers,  or  any 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  29 

other  match-makers.  Girls  should  allow  no 
one  to  tell  them  anything  which  they  could  not 
tell  to  mother.  Show  me  a  girl  Avho  tells  her 
mother  all  she  knows,  and  I  will  show  you  a 
girl  who  will  not  be  easily  led  away  from  the 
path  of  virtue.  It  sometimes  happens,  of  course, 
that  the  mother  is  not  a  Avise  counselor ;  but  this 
is  the  exception  rather  than  the  rule. 

Knoiuledge  a  Girl  SJiould  Have  Concerning 
Herself. — Every  girl,  before  the  age  of  puberty, 
should  have  a  thorough  understanding  of  the 
important  changes  which  take  place  at  this  time. 
Without  this  knowledge  a  girl  is  often  perplexed, 
worried,  and  sometimes  frightened,  at  the  very 
time  when  she  should  be  composed  and  quiet. 
Besides  this,  she  should  have  a  knowledge  of  how 
to  care  for  her  health  at  this  time ;  for  one  un- 
wise act  at  this  critical  period  may  cause  her  a 
lifetime  of  suffering,  and  may  even  bring  upon 
her  a  disease  which  will  soon  end  her  life.  Oh ! 
why  will  mothers  be  so  careless? 

Moreover,  a  girl  should  have  some  instructions 
concerning  her  nature  in  general;  for  at  the 
time  of  puberty  the  sexual  powers  are  awakened, 
and  the  girl  finds  herself  possessed  of  new  and 
strange  feelings.  With  a  knowledge  of  these 
things,  a  girl  has  a  fair  chance  to  "flee  youth- 
ful lusts";  but  if  left  in  ignorance  she  is  a 
more  easy  prey  to  the  powers  of  lust  and  sin. 


30  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

Every  girl  should  have  some  knowledge  of  sex- 
ual physiology.  The  public  schools  give  some  ex- 
cellent instruction  in  general  physiology;  yet 
the  subject  of  sexual  physiology,  on  account  of 
the  nature  of  the  study,  is  entirely  left  out. 
The  only  chance,  then,  for  the  girl  to  learn 
these  things  is  through  a  mother's  counsel  or 
good  books.  And  these,  the  only  two  channels 
through  which  her  instructions  may  come,  have 
two  great  hindrances;  first,  many  mothers  are 
almost,  if  not  entirely,  void  of  understanding 
on  these  lines  themselves;  and  secondly,  books 
which  contain  this  kind  of  information  often 
contain  much  that  no  girl  should  read. 

Some  people  have  stronger  sexual  powers  than 
others,  and  consequently  they  may  have  a 
harder  battle  to  control  their  affections  than 
others.  There  is  grace  in  God,  however,  to  keep 
us  pure,  and  he  has- made  no  mistake  in  making 
us  sexually  strong;  for  the  greatest  men  and 
women  that  have  ever  lived  were  strong  sexually. 
There  is  something  about  a  strong  sexuality 
that  gives  force  and  power  of  character,  which 
causes  us  to  rise  to  real  manhood  and  woman- 
hood; so  we  should  not  depreciate  our  sexual 
powers,  but  control  and  use  them  for  good. 
Some  of  the  greatest  men  and  women  the  world 
has  ever  known,  however,  have  been  ruined 
by  tkeir  uncontrolled  passions.     It  is  said  of 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  31 

Alexander  that  he  conquered  the  world,  and 
then  wept  because  there  were  no  more  worlds  to 
conquer;  and  yet  he  never  conquered  himself. 
I  could  name  several  great  men  and  women 
who  have  been  ruined  by  uncontrolled  passion. 
Julius  Cagsar  was  one  great  man  who  was  cap- 
tivated and  led  astray  by  his  nature ;  and 
Cleopatra,  who  is  said  to  have  been  the  most 
beautiful  of  ancient  women,  was  ruined  by  her 
uncontrolled  affections.  You  have  possibly  read 
of  her;  she  was  queen  of  Egypt.  I  saw  a 
wax  figure  of  her  in  the  Academy  of  Anatomy 
at  Philadelphia.  Her  very  form  was  a  perfect 
picture  of  beauty  in  every  way.  It  seemed  to 
me  that  a  shadow  was  cast  over  that  figure  by 
what  I  had  read  of  her.  When  I  saw  her 
beautiful  and  symmetrical  form,  I  almost  wished 
that  I  had  never  read  the  sad  history  that  she 
bore  an  illegitimate  child  to  Caesar.  Yet  she  was 
the  most  beautiful  of  women.  If  great  men  and 
women  have  fallen,  let  us  beware  lest  we  also  be 
led  astray. 

Mothers  should  take  the  time  to  give  their 
daughters  detailed  instructions  concerning  the 
errors  of  modern  courtship,  and  so-called  love- 
making.  To  perfectly  control  the  affections  of 
the  human  heart,  takes  scme  wisdom  and  effort; 
and  if  the  young  girl  is  left  to  herself  she  may 
make  some  mistakes  in  love  matters  which  will 


32  J^RIYATE  IJ^^CTUBES 

cause  her  many  heartaches,  even  if  it  does  not 
ruin  and  blight  her  whole  life.  Gii'ls  at  the  age 
of  fifteen  or  sixteen  are  very  affectionate,  and 
often  extremely  self-willed,  and  they  need  the 
kind  advice  and  earnest  prayers  of  a  loving 
Christian  mother,  to  pilot  them  safely  through 
the  many  dangers  which  attend  the  vehement 
storms  of  first  love.  While  it  is  generally  sup- 
posed that  girls  at  this  age  are  in  more  imminent 
danger  than  older  ones,  there  are  many  who  have 
passed  the  age  of  sixteen  who  need  a  mother's 
counsel  and  prayers. 

Every  girl  should  be  taught  to  work  and  how 
to  work,  whether  she  be  rich  or  poor,  high  or 
low  socially.  A  girl  who  does  not  know  how  to, 
or  will  not  work,  is  a  burden  to  herself  and 
family,  and  if  she  ever  marries,  can  not  make 
a  good  wife  nor  mother.  A  school  education  is 
of  vast  importance,  and  yet  the  ability  to  cook, 
sew,  wash,  iron,  and  keep  a  house  in  ''apple-pie 
order,"  are  indispensable  qualifications  of  an 
attractive  young  lady.  Some  mothers  get  the 
idea  that  their  girls  will  never  need  to  work, 
but  this  is  a  mistake.  Even  though  work  may 
not  be  an  absolute  necessity  for  support,  in- 
dustry is  a  part  of,  and  conducive  to,  real 
womanhood.  It  is  said  that  Queen  Victoria  gave 
her  daughters  personal  lessons  in  cooking,  and 
every  mother,  rich  or  poor,  would  do  well  to 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  33 

follow  her  example.  Education  and  the  ability 
to  keep  the  house  and  the  person  in  a  clean,  tidy 
condition,  are  more  attractive  to  any  sensible 
young  man  than  fine  dress  and  complexion 
powders. 

Every  girl  should  have  some  knowledge  of 
motherhood.  She  may  obtain  this  from  pure 
reading  matter  or  private  instruction;  it  makes 
little  difference,  so  long  as  the  instructions  are 
rightly  given  and  the  knowledge  held  sacred. 
Some  mothers,  for  lack  of  understanding,  con- 
ceal all  such  knowledge  from  their  daughters, 
but  this  is  a  serious  mistake.  The  ill  health  and 
meager  intelligence  of  many  children  are  due 
to  ignorance  on  the  part  of  the  mother. 

Every  mother,  and  every  girl  who  has  arrived 
at  a  marriageable  age,  should  have  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  prenatal  culture,  or  the  influence 
of  the  mother  over  her  unborn  child.  With  this 
knowledge  the  mother  is  able  to  transmit  to  her 
child  physical  and  mental  abilities,  and  a  dis- 
position of  character,  unknown  to  those  born 
under  similar  circumstances  without  this  knowl- 
edge. At  present  we  shall  not  have  time  to  enter 
into  the  discussion  of  prenatal  culture ;  if  you 
desire  it,  however,  I  may  some  time  in  the 
future,  give  you  a  talk  on  this  subject.  We  will 
now  consider  a  few  points  about  the 


34  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

Knowledge  a  Girl  Should  Have  Concerning 
the  Opposite  Sex. — Some  girls  are  taught  from 
early  childhood  that  all  men  are  treacherous  and 
not  to  be  trusted  and  that  offspring  is  a  curse. 
Hence,  they  grow  up  to  distrust  men  and  despise 
children.  Some  are  born  with  a  dislike  for  men 
and  an  abhorrence  of  motherhood.  Others  are 
taught  nothing  about  the  opposite  sex,  lustful 
influences,  or  the  power  of  uncontrolled  passion, 
consequently  are  much  more  easily  overcome 
and  deceived. 

Young  women  should  be  taught  that  some  men 
are  pure  and  of  noble  character;  they  should 
be  taught  to  "love  their  husbands,  and  to  love 
their  children.'^  On  the  other  hand,  they 
should  be  taught  that  some  men  are  impure  and 
under  control  of  lust  and  the  devil;  and  withal 
they  should  be  taught  to  discern  between  the 
pure  and  the  impure,  by  their  deportment  and 
general  behavior.  A  girl  well  informed  on  these 
subjects,  is  not  only  able  to  shun  bad  company 
and  choose  the  good,  but  she  has  the  very  knowl- 
edge that  will  enable  her  to  become  a  devoted 
wife  and  a  loving  mother.  Girls  should  be 
taught  to  respect  and  honor  the  opposite  sex ;  to 
hold  as  God-given  all  normal  sexual  propensities 
of  either  sex;  and  to  beware  of  all  perverted 
passions,  lustful  influence,  and  wily  schemes  of 
Satan, 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  35 

I  will  now  close  with  an  appeal  to  both 
mothers  and  daughters,  to  help  in  this  glorious 
fight  for  purity  of  heart,  soul,  mind,  and  body. 
Do  all  you  can  in  the  name  of  Christ  and  woman- 
hood to  subdue  vile  passions  and  perverted  af- 
fections, and  uphold  purity  and  nobility.  By 
precept  and  example  teach  your  kindred,  your 
neighbors,  your  friends,  and  the  world,  the 
possibilities  of  pure  and  undefiled  womanhood. 

To-morrow  evening,  if  not  providentially 
hindered,  I  will  speak  to  you  on  the  subjects 
of  Love,  Courtship,  and  Marriage,  which  will 
bring  out  more  definitely  some  of  the  things 
mentioned  to-night.  May  the  Lord  bless  you 
all  and  keep  you  pure  in  soul,  mind,  and  body 
is  my  prayer.     Amen. 


LECTUKE  in. 

LOVE,  COURTSHIP,  AND  MARRIAGE. 

Love.— True   Love.— First   Love.— Perverted   Love.— The 
Test  of   Love.— Courtship;    Its   Use   and  Abuse.— Its 
Use.— Saved  Girls  Keeping  Company  with  Unsaved 
Boys. — Choosing  a  Companion. — Its  Abuse. —  Co- 
quetry.—Undue       Familiarity.— The       Engage- 
ment.— Marriage. — History     of     Marriage. — 
The     Ceremony.— The     Object     of     Mar- 
riage.— Marrying     for     Money. — Marry- 
ing    for    Pity's    Sake. — Proper    Age 
to      Marry. — Physical      Qualities. — 
Advantages     of     Marriage. — Mar- 
riage between  Saint  and  Sinner. 

Dear  Friends:  With  pleasure  I  come  before 
you  this  evening  to  resume  the  talk  on  sexual 
purity  began  two  evenings  ago.  I  wish  to  clas- 
sify my  remarks  for  this  evening  under  three 
heads :  Love,  Courtship,  and  Marriage.  In  the 
beginning  of  this  talk,  I  ask  your  prayers  that 
I  may  speak  as  God  would  have  me  speak,  to 
your  benefit  and  his  glory. 

37 


38  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

LOVE. 

To  begin  at  the  beginning  of  love  I  must  begin 
at  God,  for  God  is  love.  Love  controls  the 
universe  of  God ;  binds  true  hearts  together,  and 
forms  a  tie  stronger  than  death.  Love  caused 
Ruth  to  say,  ''Intreat  me  not  to  leave  thee,  or 
to  return  from  following  after  thee :  for  whither 
thou  goest,  I  will  go;  and  where  thou  lodgest, 
I  will  lodge :  thy  people  shall  be  my  people,  and 
thy  God  my  God. ' '  Love  causes  a  man  to  leave 
his  home  and  cleave  to  his  wife;  love  causes  a 
young  lady  to  leave  the  quiet  harbor  of  home 
and  launch  in  the  bark  of  matrimony  on  the 
broad  ocean  of  life  with  one  of  the  opposite  sex. 
Love,  purest  and  dearest  love,  gave  the  Son 
of  God  our  Savior  to  die  for  his  enemies;  for 
"while  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for  the 
ungodly. '  * 

**In   peace,    love    tunes    the    shepherd's    reed; 

In  war,  he  mounts  the  warrior's   steed; 

In  halls,   in  gay  attire  is  seen; 

In  hamlets,   dances  on  the  green. 

Love  rules  the  court,  the  camp,  the  grove. 

In  men  below,  and  saints  above; 

For  love  is  heaven,  and  heaven  is  love." 

Love  is  the  most  powerful  and  melting  of  all 
influences.     Pure  love  is  the  strongest  of  our 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.         \^    39 

God-given  passions.  Humanity  without  love, 
like  a  world  without  a  sun,  would  be  cold  and 
dark.  Love  is  the  fire  that  warms  our  cold 
natures  and  causes  us  to  conceive  of  God;  love 
lights  our  hearts  and  intellects  and  causes  us  to 
appreciate  one  another  as  God 's  creatures.  Love, 
human  and  divine,  is  the  greatest  of  all  things. 

True  Love. — All  love  is  not  true,  or  in  other 
words,  all  that  is  called  love  is  not  pure;  there- 
fore we  must  discriminate  between  true  love, 
false  love,  and  free  love.  It  is  a  common  saying 
that  love  is  blind.  This,  however,  is  not  true  of 
pure  Platonic  love.  True  love  is  not  blind,  but 
kind,  sacrificing,  and  forgiving.  It  sees  the 
fault  and  discovers  the  flaw,  but  has  the  power 
and  the  will  to  forgive  and  overlook.  Love  that 
is  entirely  blind  to  the  faults  of  the  one  loved 
is  not  so  likely  to  endure  the  trials  of  life  as 
the  love  that  sees  the  fault,  but  loves  stronc: 
enough  to  forgive.  True  love  is  aware  that  be- 
neath the  petals  of  the  brightest  rose  there  are 
cruel  thorns,  and  considers  that  to  pluck  the 
rose  means  to  encounter  the  thorns ;  and  yet  the 
beauty  and  atti^action  of  the  object  loved  is 
sufficient  to  render  painless  the  thorns. 

I  now  read  you  from  page  264  of  ''Letters  of 

Love  and  Counsel  to  Our  Girls."     "True  love 

-delights   in  self-sacrifice   for  the   object  loved. 

So  often  do  we  see  shipwreck  made  of  domestic 


40  PRIVATB  LECTURES 

happiness  by  the  continual  demands  made  of 
one  another  in  the  name  of  love.  Love  seeks  the 
best  interest  of  the  one  loved." 

God  in  his  infinite  wisdom  has  made  us  to 
widely  differ  from  one  another;  hence  in  love, 
as  in  all  our  faculties,  some  of  us  are  stronger 
than  others.  Those  whose  affections  are  very 
strong  may  need  the  grace  of  God  to  help  them 
to  rightly  control  their  God- given  faculties  on 
this  line;  others  who  are  cold  and  formal  may 
need  the  assistance  of  the  Spirit  of  God  to  soften 
their  natures  and  bring  them  up  to  the  standard 
of  re^  love.  Those  whose  affections  are  very 
strong  especially  need  the  grace  of  God  and  the 
proper  instruction  to  assist  them  in  controlling 
their  affections.  No  doubt  many  have  been 
accused  by  Satan,  and  by  him  discouraged  and 
cast  down,  on  account  of  their  battles  with  their 
natural  affections ;  when  all  they  needed  wa!s  the 
proper  instruction  and  the  right  understanding 
of  how  to  govern  their  affections  and  bring 
them  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  purity.  True 
love  is  elevating  to  soul,  mind,  and  body.  Many 
times  the  character  of  an  almost  worthless  young 
man  may  be  raised  to  a  plane  of  nobility  by  the 
pure  love  of  a  true  woman. 

Pure  love  is  the  normal  state  of  the  human 
heart,  just  as  salvation  is  the  normal  state  of 
the  soul.    The  affections  of  the  human  heart,  like 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  41 

all  other  God-given  blessings,  if  allowed  to  go 
uncontrolled  will  work  disaster  to  mind  and 
soul;  but  when  purity  sways  the  scepter  and  by 
the  grace  of  God  and  holy  wisdom  they  are 
brought  into  subjection,  there  is  nothing  more 
elevating,  beneficial,  and  character-building  than 
the  love  of  the  sexes.  A  great  many  mistake 
the  gushing  and  uncontrolled  affections  for  pure 
and  undefiled  love.  The  uncontrolled  and  ab- 
normal affections  of  the  human  heart  are  de- 
manding, but  true  love  is  docile.  True  love  will 
bear  investigation  and  consideration.  There  is  a 
common-sense  side  to  true  aft'ections,  which 
causes  us  to  be  considerate.  We  may  read  in 
newspapers,  or  in  love  stories,  of  uncontrolled 
love  and  how  its  vehement  flames  devour  and 
overpower  the  reason ;  but  this  is  far  from 
true    love. 

About  all  a  great  many  girls  know  concern- 
ing love  is  learned  from  romantic  love  stories, 
dime  novels,  and  other  impure  literature.  There 
is  nothing  more  conducive  to  abnormal  affec- 
tions than  the  reading  of  such  trashy  literature. 
Many  young  girls  are  ruined  by  these  messen- 
gers of  Satan.  Novels  and  love  stories  are  often 
written  for  the  express  purpose  of  acting  upon 
the  passions  and  leading  the  soul  on  to  an 
appetite  for  such  literature  and  such  impure 
scenes  as  they  picture.     They  picture  love  and 


42  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

affection  in  their  uncontrolled  state.  Those 
who  read  them  become  entranced  with  the 
fanciful  visions  and  imagine  themselves  the 
hero  or  heroine  of  their  story.  They  conceive 
a  desire  to  act  out  the  same  things  of  which 
they  have  read.  In  this  way  the  mind  gets  a 
very  wrong  conception  of  what  love  really  is. 
True  love  does  not  rob  us  of  our  common  sense 
and  judgment;  for  while  we  may  love  with  all 
of  our  hearts  and  the  intensity  of  our  natures, 
yet  there  is  something  in  true  love  which  illum- 
inates our  sense  and  causes  our  judgment  to  act 
discreetly.  Never  give  place  to  any  uncon- 
trolled affection  which  would  cause  you  to  do 
unreasonable  things,  or  set  aside  your  better 
judgment. 

First  Love.— Ahout  the  age  of  sixteen,  when 
the  vehement  storms  of  first  love  break  in  upon 
the  human  heart,  many  girls  are  led  astray  by 
their  fanciful  visions  and  romantic  ideas  of  love, 
gained  from  impure  literature.  At  this  age 
the  girl  needs  the  tender  care  and  watchful  in- 
fluence of  a  loving  mother.  First  love  is  nearly 
always  the  purest  and  simplest  of  human  affec- 
tion, but  nearly  always  superficial  and  short- 
lived. A  girl  who  may  be  safely  piloted  through 
the  vehement  storms  of  first  love  without  having 
her  affections  wounded  is  more  likely  to  settle 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  43 

down  to  sober  thought  and  to  the  real  depth  of 
true  love  and  womanly  affection. 

Perverted  Love. — By  perverted  love  I  mean 
what  is  often  termed  free  love.  The  term  free- 
lover,  however,  is  very  often  misused.  Free 
love  as  a  doctrine  first  had  its  origin  with  a 
sect  which  arose  in  the  fifteenth  century,  who 
called  themselves  ''Brethren  of  the  Free  Spir- 
it." These  degraders  of  society  and  perverters 
of  hiunan  affections  believed  and  publicly  taught 
that  promiscuous  or  free  love  was  lawful  in  the 
normal  state  of  the  human  heart.  They  held 
their  wives  in  common,  and  taught  that  it  was 
right  to  love  whom  they  pleased.  They  were 
free  to  live  with  one  companion  one  year  or 
one  month,  and  another  the  next.  The  real 
meaning,  then,  of  free  love  is  not  perverted  or 
misplaced  affection  as  many  suppose,  but  the 
free  and  promiscuous  inter-relation  of  the 
sexes.  ]\Iany  persons  have  been  accused  of  being 
under  free-love  spirits,  when  if  the  truth  had 
been  known  they  were  only  under  the  influence 
of  their  own  perverted  affections.  It  is  true  that 
if  misplaced  love  or  perverted  affections  are 
allowed  their  uncontrolled  sway  they  will  finally 
run  into  free  love ;  but  we  should  not  apply  this 
term  to  principles  which  only  lead  to  free  love. 

As  we  have  before  said,  pure  love  is  elevating 
to  soul,  mind,  and  body;  while  on  the  other 


44  PRIVATE  LECTUJBES 

hand,  there  is  nothing  more  discouraging  and 
conducive  to  despondency  than  disappointed  or 
misplaced  affections.  The  affections,  if  not 
guarded,  are  liable  to  become  somewhat  free, 
tending  toward  what  is  generally  known  as  free 
love;  that  is,  they  become  uncontrollable.  This 
is  not  only  destructive  to  happiness,  but  is  also 
very  detrimental  to  spirituality.  Those  who 
allow  their  affections  to  go  uncontrolled  are 
often  wholly  incapable  of  settling  down  and 
centering  their  affections  for  any  length  of 
time  upon  one  object.  They  become  very  un- 
settled in  love  matters  in  every  way ;  now  allow- 
ing their  affections  to  go  out  toward  this  one, 
and  in  just  a  short  time  allowing  them  to  be- 
come strongly  attached  to  another  one.  If  this 
state  of  affairs  is  allowed  to  go  on  very  long  the 
soul  becomes  despondent,  cast  down,  and  in  a 
doubting  condition;  while  the  affections  have 
become  almost  too  uncertain  to  be  trusted 
at  all. 

Uncontrolled  affections  will  sometimes  man- 
ifest themselves  in  an  undue  familiarity  between 
those  of  the  same  sex.  Along  with  this  morbid 
state  of  uncontrolled  affection  there  often  goes 
a  disposition  to  jealousy,  and  if  the  perverted 
demands  are  not  heeded,  the  love  turns  to 
hatred.  I  know  of  one  case  where  two  women 
became  so  strongly  attached  to  each  other  that 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  45 

one,  who  was  a  married  lady,  seemed  more 
strongly  attached  to  the  one  of  her  own  sex 
than  her  husband.  They  would  confide  in  each 
other,  tell  each  other  their  secrets,  fondle  and 
caress  each  other,  and  be  in  a  state  of  uneasiness 
whenever  they  were  not  in  each  other 's  company. 
When  this  state  of  affairs  was  discovered  and 
the  single  lady  took  a  stand  against  it,  the 
other  was  enraged  and  conceived  murderous 
intentions. 

Young  girls  sometimes  get  under  a  "chiun- 
ming  spirit";  one  is  never  satisfied  except  in  the 
other's  presence,  and  their  undue  familiarity, 
unnecessary  caressing,  etc.  become  very  disgust- 
ing to  those  who  are  thrown  in  their  company. 
You  should  avoid  all  undue  familiarity  with 
either  sex. 

The  Test  of  Love. — Seeing  that  there  is  a 
possibility  of  our  affections  being  perverted,  and 
that  all  love  is  not  sincere,  it  behooves  us  to  test 
our  affections;  also  to  test  any  proffered  affec- 
tions before  we  reciprocate  them.  Untrue  or 
perverted  love,  as  we  have  said  before,  is  in- 
variably short-lived,  while  true  love  grows 
stronger  and  stronger  each  day.  The  man  who 
truly  loTcd  his  wife  when  they  were  in  life's 
healthful  bloom  will  love  her  all  the  more  when 
age  has  silvered  their  hair.  True  love  will  do 
as  much   to   ret<iin   the   attentions   of  the   one 


46  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

loved,  as  it  will  to  gain  them.  How  often  do  we 
see  the  seemingly  loving  young  couple,  after  a 
few  storms  and  trials  of  life  have  invaded  their 
domestic  kingdom,  become  crabbed,  cross,  and 
careless  in  their  attentions  toward  each  other. 
A  young  man  or  a  young  lady  in  a  love  mood 
will  do  very  much  to  gain  the  affections  of  one 
of  the  opposite  sex.  The  young  man  will  keep 
his  person  clean  and  tidy,  shun  all  bad  company, 
and  leave  off  many  bad  habits  to  gain  the  affec- 
tions of  a  young  lady;  and  if  it  is  true  love 
he  will  continue  to  improve  after  he  has  gained 
her;  but  many  times  his  tidiness  and  good  be- 
havior were  only  for  the  pui^ose  of  gaining 
the  object  of  his  unholy  affection,  and  when  he 
has  once  gained  her,  he  becomes  careless,  sloven 
in  his  personal  appearance,  and  soon  falls  back 
to  his  old  habits.  The  young  lady  will  en- 
deavor to  keep  the  house  clean  and  tidy  and 
everything  in  its  place,  her  person  in  a  becoming 
attire,  and  her  face  adorned  with  a  smile  in 
order  to  gain  the  affections  of  a  young  man. 
She  will  be  pleasant,  self-sacrificing,  and  oblig- 
ing in  every  way  when  in  a  love  mood;  but 
possibly  his  back  is  no  sooner  turned  than  she 
is  grumbling  at  mother,  brothers,  or  sisters,  has 
a  frown  upon  her  face,  nothing  pleases  hor,  and 
she  does  not  care  so  much  for  the  appjaranco 
of  her  person.    True  love  is  always  the  same  in 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  47 

the  presence  as  in  the  absence  of  the  object  of 
its  adoration;  it  will  be  true,  and  free  from  all 
deception. 

A  very  good  test  of  one's  disposition  and 
character  in  general  is  his  attitude  toward 
his  parents.  Young  ladies,  never  trust  your 
affections  to  a  young  man  who  does  not  treat 
his  mother  and  sisters  kindly.  This  is  as  sure 
a  test  of  genuine  trueness  and  uprightness  of 
character,  as  any  to  which  we  could  well  resort. 
The  young  man  who  will  speak  rudely  to  his 
mother  and  refuse  to  accomodate  his  sisters  is 
not  likely  to  be  obliging  to  a  companion,  after 
the  novelty  of  the  ''honeymoon"  has  worn  off. 

There  is  no  sweeter,  no  truer,  and  no  holier 
passion  of  the  human  heart,  than  pure  and  un- 
defiled  love.  Nothing  is  more  elevating  and  up- 
lifting than  its  sacred  influence,  and  nothing  is 
more  degrading  and  detrimental  to  our  present 
and  future  happiness  than  the  perversion  of  our 
affections.  Uncontrolled  and  perverted  affec- 
tions are  as  cruel  as  the  grave,  but  true  love 
is  stronger  than  death. 

"What  time  the  mighty  moon  was  gathering  light 

Love  pae'd  the  thymy  plots  of  Paradise, 

And  all  about  him  roll'd  his  lustrous  eyes: 

When,   turning  around  a  cassia,   full  in  view, 

Death,  walking  all  alone  beneath  a  yew. 

And  talking  to  himself,  first  met  his  sight: 

♦you  must  be  gone,'  said  Peath,  'these  walks  are  mine,' 


48  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

"Love  wept  and  spread  his  sheeny  vans  for  flight, 

Yet  ere  he  parted  said,    'This  hour  is  thine: 

Thou  art  the  shadow  of  life,  and  as  the  tree 

Stands  in  the  sun  and  shadows  all  beneath. 

So  in  the  light  of  great  eternity 

Light   eminent   creates   the   shade  of   death; 

The  shadow  passeth  when  the  tree  shall   fall. 

But  I  shall   reign  forever   over   all.'  *'     —Tennyson. 

COURTSHIP— ITS   USE   AND    ABUSE. 

Its  Use.— It  has  been  a  question  to  some 
whether  or  not  courtship  has  any  place  among 
us  as  the  children  of  God;  but  in  my  judgment 
it  has,  if  rightly  understood  and  properly  con- 
ducted. In  India,  where  children  are  married  in 
the  cradle,  they,  of  course,  havfe  no  use  for 
courtship ;  also  in  China,  where  the  marriage 
contract  is  made  through  a  match-m^ker,  court- 
ship is  unnecessary;  but  in  Christian  countries, 
where  we  have  the  right  to  select  the  com- 
panion that  God  has  intended  for  us,  court- 
ship in  its  true  sense  is  certainly  necessary. 
Do  not  understand  me  to  say  that  I  am  in  favor 
of  the  modern  customs  in  courtship,  for  I  con- 
sider many  of  them  very  dangerous;  yet  I  be- 
lieve there  is  a  common-sense  method  of  court- 
ship which  is  in  perfect  harmony  with  the  laws 
of  purity. 

The  object  of  courtship  is  to  see  if  the  in- 
dividual  is   the   right   one   to   marry.     Before 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  49 

persons  marry  they  want  to  know  each  other, 
get  acquainted  with  each  other's  dispositions, 
temperaments,  and  tastes.  Of  course  to  find  this 
out  they  must  spend  time  talking  over  these 
matters.  The  young  man  and  the  young  lady  who 
are  thinking  of  uniting  for  life  should  be  allowed 
some  time  to  consider  their  likes  and  dislikes, 
to  ascertain  the  desires  and  ideas  of  each  other. 
This  may  be  done  in  a  common-sense,  business- 
like way,  which  will  be  elevating  and  entirely 
free  from  the  many  objectionable  features  of 
modern  courtship.  Courtship  should  be  gone 
into  in  real  earnestness,  for  its  importance  is 
second  only  to  the  salvation  of  our  souls. 

My  idea  of  genuine  courtship  is  for  those 
who  are  intending  matrimony,  or  those  who 
have  any  idea  that 'they  might  unite  in  mar- 
riage, to  sit  at  a  reasonable  distance  from  each 
other,  look  each  other  squarely  in  the  face, 
and  talk  business.  A  young  lady  who  is  about 
to  consent  to  matrimony  with  a  young  man 
should  have  some  knowledge  of  his  intellectual- 
ity. She  should  know  whether  he  is  inclined  to 
study,  whether  he  has  any  education,  or  whether 
he  cares  anything  about  intellectual  pui^uits. 
She  should  know  whether  he  prefers  a  farm 
life  or  a  business  life.  She  has  her  ideas  of 
what  she  would  like  to  be  in  life,  and  what  she 
would  desire  her  companion  to  be,  or  at  least 


50  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

every  young  woman  should  have  some  idea  of 
these  things.  Every  young  lady  should  have 
some  idea  as  to  whether  she  would  prefer  to  be 
a  farmer's  wife,  merchant's  wife,  preacher's 
wife,  or  just  whose  wife  she  would  rather  be. 
There  is  every  reason  for  talking  over  such 
things  in  an  earnest  and  businesslike  way. 

Courtship  should  be  engaged  in  for  anything 
else  than  fun  and  mere  pastime.  A  portion  of 
the  time  allotted  for  courtship  could  be  prof- 
itably spent  in  reading  the  Bible  and  praying 
over  this  important  question.  Many  young 
ladies  entertain  their  company  evening  after 
evening  for  weeks  and  months,  and  even  for 
years  sometimes,  without  Imowing  or  asking 
anything  about  what  their  intentions  in  life 
are.  You  ask  if  the  young  man  they  are  en- 
tertaining is  a  Christian,  they  can  not  tell  you; 
you  ask  what  his  choice  occupation  is,  they  are 
unable  to  tell  you;  you  ask  if  he  has  an  educa- 
tion, or  if  he  delights  in  study,  they  are  at  a 
loss  to  give  you  an  intelligent  answer.  In  fact, 
they  know  but  very  little  about  his  real  char- 
acter, or  what  he  would  be  worth  if  he  were 
weighed  in  the  balance  of  common  sense  and 
reason.  About  all  they  know  about  him  is  that 
he  is  a  delightful  talker,  that  he  is  a  funny 
fellow,  or  that  he  has  plenty  of  money.  Girls, 
let  me  beg  of  you,  never  allow  courtship  to  go 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  5] 

on  for  one  hour  with  nothing  else  in  view  but 
fun ;  for  courtship  in  its  true  light  is  too  solemn 
a  thing  to  be  trifled  with.  The  true  and  only 
legitimate  object  of  courtship  should  be  to  find 
out  whether  or  not  the  young  man  who  is  paying 
you  his  attentions  would  make  you  a  suitable 
life  companion. 

Saved  Girls  Keeping  Company  with  Unsaved 
Boys. — There  is  possibly  nothing  more  detri- 
mental to  spirituality  than  saved  persons  keep- 
ing company  with  unsaved  ones.  In  the  first 
place,  a  saved  girl  should  not  think  of  marry- 
ing an  unsaved,  worldly  man.  If  he  promises  to 
get  saved  I  see  no  reason  why  he  should  not  be 
subjected  to  the  same  test  that  the  Lord  gave 
for  those  who  are  called  to  the  ministry.  Paul 
says,  'Let  them  first  be  proved,  and  if  they 
be  found  faithful,  then  let  them  use  the  office  of 
a  deacon.'  A  younp:  man  will  often  make  fair 
promises  to  gain  the  attention  of  a  pure  and 
noble  girl ;  and  if  these  promises  are  spoken 
from  his  heart,  his  love  will  not  cool  by  allow- 
ing it  to  be  tested :  so  if  after  seeking  the  Lord 
he  proves  to  be  faithful  it  is  then  time  enough 
to  enter  courtship  and  talk  about  matrimony. 
How  often  have  we  seen  dear  young  girls  who 
were  saved  and  trusting  the  Lord  led  astray  by 
the  wily  schemes  of  Satan  and  the  cunning 
craftiness  of  a  professecl  lover.    Viewing  it  f roni 


52  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

every  side  it  seems  to  me  that  one  of  the  most 
unreasonable  things  that  a  saved  girl  can  do  is 
to  consent  to  courtship  with  an  unsaved  young 
man.  In  some  cases  where  engagement  has 
taken  place,  and  one  of  the  engaged  persons 
gets  salvation,  it  is  not  always  advisable  to 
break  the  engagement.  In  some  such  cases  the 
engagement  may  be  consummated,  and  all  be 
well,  but  in  other  cases  it  might  be  well  to  break 
the  engagement.  In  dealing  with  such  cases 
much  wisdom  is  required,  and  nothing  should 
be  done  rashly,  or  without  due  consideration. 
Choosing  a  Companion. — By  choosing  a  com- 
panion I  do  not  mean  seeking  a  companion.  It 
is  always  dangerous  to  get  in  a  hurry  and  to 
begin  to  hunt  around  for  a  companion.  The 
best  way  is  to  seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God, 
and  then  all  necessary  things  will  be  added. 
In  this,  as  in  all  other  things,  we  should  wait 
God's  time,  and  wait  it  patiently.  Those  who 
get  in  a  hurry  nearly  always  find  a  companion 
before  long,  but  yqyj  often  they  are  as  anxious 
in  a  very  short  time  to  undo  what  they  have 
done,  as  they  Avere  in  the  first  place  to  marry. 
The  maxim,  ''Make  haste  slowly,"  is  good  ad- 
vice in  matrimonial  affairs  as  well  as  in  many 
other  things.  Although  you  may  not  be  anxious 
for  or  seeking  a  companion,  there  is  one  thing 
that  almost  every  girl  is  sure  to  do,  and  that 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  53 

is  to  consider  just  what  kind  of  a  husband  she 
needs,  or  what  kind  of  a  man  would  suit  her 
fancy.  In  this  there  is  no  harm  if  the  con- 
sideration is  deliberate,  and  the  imaginations 
are  not  allowed  to  control  the  affections.  There 
are  certainly  some  good  reasons  why  every 
young  lady  should  consider  just  what  kind  of  a 
husband  she  needs.  In  the  first  place,  you  need 
a  husband  to  whom  you  can  look  for  counsel 
and  protection ;  in  other  words,  you  need  a  man 
you  can  look  to  as  being  able  to  give  you 
instruction,  and  one  who  is  worthy  of  your  im- 
plicit confidence.  You  need  a  husband  you  can 
trust,  honor,  and  obey,  if  you  need  a  husband 
at  all. 

The  Bible  commands  that  the  wife  shall  rev- 
erence the  husband,  and  none  of  you  could  rev- 
erence a  man  whom  you  believed  to  be  your 
inferior.  A  great  many  girls  have  an  idea  that 
the  first  step  toward  matrimony  should  be  love, 
but  this  is  a  grave  mistake.  You  may  wonder 
at  me  for  this  statement,  but  when  I  have  ex- 
plained it  I  belieye  you  will  all  fully  agree 
with  me.  In  the  first  place,  you  can  not  love 
until  you  know  what  you  are  loving.  Love 
can  only  love  that  which  is  lovable.  The  sacred 
emotions  of  a  woman 's  heart  are  too  valuable  to 
be  lavished  upon  an  object  which  is  worth- 
less, or  upon  a  man  whose  true  value  is  unknown 


54  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

to  her.  The  treasures  of  a  woman's  heart  are 
too  valuable  to  be  deposited  in  uncertain  places. 
Girls,  never  love  a  man  until  you  are  sure  he 
is  worthy  of  your  most  sacred  affections.  Be 
convinced  in  your  own  mind  that  he  is  worthy 
of  your  honor,  reverence,  and  obedience,  that 
you  can  look  to  him  all  your  life  and  realize 
that  he  is  able  to  protect  you,  care  for  you, 
and  reciprocate  your  affections. 

You  would  not  like  to  find  out  in  a  few  years 
after  marriage,  that  you  had  married  a  man 
of  whom  you  are  ashamed;  you  would  be  dis- 
appointed to  find  that  the  one  to  whom  you  were 
bound  for  life  was  not  what  you  thought  he 
was ;  so  the  best  way  is  to  first  consider  the  true 
character  and  real  manhood  of  the  one  who  in- 
vites your  affections. 

If  you  are  thinking  of  marrying,  my  candid 
opinion  is  that  the  natural  abilities  and  char- 
acter of  the  man  you  have  in  mind  should  be 
considered,  even  before  consulting  the  will  of 
God  as  to  matrimony.  This  is  true  for  the 
reason  that  God  never  joins  people  together  who 
are  unsuited  to  each  other.  If  on  investigation 
you  find  that  a  young  man  is  not  suited  to 
you;  that  he  would  not  delight  in  what  you 
delight  in;  that  you  can  not  look  to  him  for 
counsel  and  protection;  that  you  can  not  rev- 
erence and  obey  him, — it  is  useless  to  go  farther. 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  55 

But  if  after  investigation  you  find  that  he  is  all 
that  you  wish  him  to  be;  that  his  abilities  in 
every  way  meet  the  requirements  of  your  ideas; 
that  his  heart  beats  in  unison  with  yours  in 
every  way,  the  next  step  is  to  consider  the  will 
of  God. 

As  I  have  just  stated,  God  never  joins  people 
together  who  are  not  suited  to  each  other. 
Even  a  good  experience  of  salvation  and  deep 
spirituality  are  not  enough  to  warrant  you  in 
believing  that  the  one  who  possesses  this  would 
make  yt>ii  a  suitable  life  companion.  Salvation, 
it  is  true,  has  more  to  do  with  our  entire  lives, 
and  more  especially  with  our  domestic  lives, 
than  any  other  one  thing;  and  yet  we  should 
remember  that  we  are  mortals,  and  that  we  shall 
have  natural  tendencies  to  contend  with  as  long 
as  we  are  in  this  world.  God  being  divine,  men 
and  women  of  all  temperaments  can  love  him, 
and  he  can  love  them;  but  we  who  are  human 
beings  can  not  bear  with  the  natural  tendencies 
of  every  one  sufficiently  to  love  them  as  a  com- 
panion. In  other  words,  God  can  live  with  some 
people  with  whom  we  can  not  live.  For  this 
reason  it  is  absolutely  necessary  for  every  young 
lady  who  has  any  intention  of  entering  on  the 
voyage  of  matrimony  with  a  young  man  to 
thoroughly  examine  his  chara<;ter,  his  intellect, 
and  his  tendencies  in  every  way.  She  should  find 


56  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

out  in  some  way  whether  he  is  stingy  or  free- 
hearted; extravagant  or  economical;  whether 
he  spends  his  money  foolishly,  or  whether  he 
saves  it;  and  many  other  like  things,  which 
will  help  her  to  determine  whether  or  not  he  is 
the  man  of  her  choice.  Possibly  of  more  im- 
portance than  all  other  things,  salvation  ex- 
cepted, is  to  find  out  how  he  lives  at  home. 
How  does  he  treat  his  mother  and  sisters?  is  an 
important  question  to  consider.  Does  he  speak 
crossly  to  them?  does  he  refuse  to  grant  their 
wishes  in  matters  about  home?  does  he  enjoy 
spending  some  time  in  entertaining  them?  does 
he  enjoy  doing  little  things  to  please  them  and 
make  them  comfortable? — all  these  are  im- 
portant questions  that  the  young  lady  should 
take  into  consideration. 

Last,  but  not  least,  of  all  you  should  not  be 
too  hasty.  All  is  not  gold  that  glitters,  and 
things  are  often  not  what  they  seem;  therefore 
be  careful,  be  prayerful,  be  considerate,  and 
trust  in  the  Lord  to  guide  you  aright. 

Its  Abuse.  —  With  the  exception  of  salvation, 
love,  courtship,  and  marriage,  are  the  most  im- 
portant things  connected  with  our  lives;  and 
yet  they  are  often  trifled  with,  trampled  upon, 
and  abused.  Marriage  and  salvation  are  the 
two  greatest  blessings  that  God  has  bestowed 
upon  his  creatures.     These  two  blessed  gifts  of 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  57 

God  should  be  treated  with,  profound  saeredness, 
but  they  are  treated  more  lightly,  by  the  most 
of  people,  than  many  other  things  of  much  less 
importance.  To  make  a  mistake  in  marriage  or 
religion  is  the  greatest  mistake  we  can  make ; 
and  yet  there  are  possibly  more  mistakes  made 
in  regard  to  these  than  in  anything  else. 

Coquetry.— Society  of  all  grades  is  filled  with 
a  spirit  of  so-called  "love-making,"  but  better 
named  ''coquetry,"  which  is  a  curse  to  man  and 
an  abomination  to  God.  Men  and  women  will 
study  how  to  cast  fallen  human  nature  farther 
down ;  but  very  few  study  how  to  raise  it  to  a 
higher  plane.  The  young  man  will  study  how 
to  win  the  affections  of  a  young  lady,  for  no 
other  purpose  than  to  try  his  skill;  and  the 
young  lady  will  flirt  with  a  half  dozen  young 
men,  and  try  to  make  each  one  think  she  ad- 
mires him  most.  0  how  cruel  the  heart  that 
will  win  affection  only  to  wound  it.  Be  it  known 
unto  thee,  that  for  all  this,  God  will  bring  thee 
into  judgment,  thou  most  subtle  of  all  mankind. 

Come  with  me^  some  Sunday  evening,  dear 
friends,  and  we  will  visit  a  few  fashionable 
parlors,  where  I  will  show  you  this  vile  spirit, 
the  cruel  enemy  of  love  and  virtue.  We  will 
gently  walk  to  the  window  and  push  the  curtain 
aside  just  a  little.  The  ''old  folks"  have  retired, 
the    clock   has    struck    eleven,    and    everything 


58  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

seems  deathly  still.  The  young  lady  has  a 
beau,  and  as  we  look  in  we  see  in  the  dim  twi- 
light a  couple  sitting  on  the  sofa;  the  young 
man  is  talking  rapidly  in  an  undertone,  and 
watching  every  expression  of  the  young  lady's 
face;  she  seems  perfectly  charmed.  He  makes 
her  believe  that  he  is  wealthy  and  that  he  loves 
her  dearly,  and  her  parents  are  highly  pleased 
to  think  that  she  has  such  an  amiable  caller; 
but  ah !  if  they  could  see  the  deceitf  ulness  of  his 
heart  they  would  no  doubt  think  quite  djfferent- 
ly.  We  could  take  special  notice  of  this  young 
man,  and  follow  him  almost  every  night  in  the 
week  to  a  different  place,  where  he  goes  through 
the  same  performance,  and  we  also  may  see  him 
visiting  the  saloon  quite  frequently. 

As  we  visit  another  parlor  the  scene  is  some- 
what changed:  the  victim  this  time  is  a  young 
man,  and  the  coquette  is  a  gay  lady  of  twenty- 
two  or  three.  She  talks  very  nice  and  ''makes 
love"  to  him;  but  as  soon  as  he  is  gone  she 
says,  "I  wish  he  had  left  an  hour  ago";  and 
she  is  always  afraid  he  will  come  when  some 
of  her  many  other   callers   are  there. 

We  find  this  cruel  spirit  not  only  in  the 
fashionable  parlors ;  but  if  you  will  go  with  me, 
from  the  gilded  mansion  to  the  backwoods  hut 
I  will  show  you  this  same  vile  spirit  of  coquetry. 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  59 

From  cellar  to  garret  of  human  habitation  we 
can   spy    its    licentious    track. 

Thus  the  noble  banner  of  love  and  purity  lies 
foiled  in  the  dust  of  shame,  being  trodden  under 
foot  by  the  children  of  men.  A  man  or  woman 
who  will  court  and  gain  the  affections  of  the 
opposite  sex,  without  intending  nature's  object 
(marriage),  is  not  fit  for  the  association  of 
humanity.  0  thou  most  contemptible  of  all 
beings,  look  into  the  mirror  of  purity  and  truth, 
and  see  how  black  your  heart  is.  How  long,  0 
man,  will  you  reject  the  light  of  Providence  and 
sink  human  nature  lower  in  sin  and  disgrace? 

Undue  Familiarity. — Hasty  and  undue  famil- 
iarities are  always  fraught  with  many  dangers, 
and  the  young  lady  who  would  obey  the  in- 
junction, "Keep  thyself  pure,"  should  beware 
of  all  advances  that  are  contrary  to  modesty. 
They  are  an  invariable  sign  that  a  young 
man's  intentions  are  impure.  If  he  makes  un- 
necessary advances,  or  attempts  undue  famil- 
iarity, kindly  tell  him  to  keep  his  place.  Wom- 
an's virtuous  instinct  is  her  safeguard,  and  she 
should  cling  to  it  tenaciously,  and  obey  its  ever 
warning   voice. 

Undue  familiarity  invariably  leads  to  one  of 
two  things ;  impure  thoughts  and  actions,  or  dis- 
gust and  contempt.  Nothing  is  more  detrimental 
to   pure   love   than   to    have   its   sacred   rights 


60  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

trampled  upon.  If  you  wish  your  affections  to 
remain  in  a  normal  condition,  if  you  wish  to 
keep  yourself  pure  and  holy  and  upright,  never 
flirt  with  any  one,  and  allow  no  one  to  flirt  with 
you.  Withstand  every  advance  of  familiarity. 
If  a  young  man  makes  any  advance  which  you 
think  impure,  tell  him  kindly  and  flrmly  your 
decision  in  the  matter.  No  young  man  who  is  a 
gentleman  will  put  his  hands  upon  a  young 
lady  or  fondle  her  in  the  least  when  it  is  con- 
trary to  her  wishes ;  and  if  a  young  man  who  is 
in  your  presence  refuses  to  obey  your  wishes  in 
regard  to  such  things,  you  can  conclude  at 
once  that  he  lacks  real  gentlemanly  principle, 
and  the  best  thing  for  you  to  do  is  to  give  him 
to  undei'stand  in  the  beginning  that  you  mean 
exactly  what  you  say,  and  that  if  he  intends  to 
remain  in  your  company  he  must  comply  with 
your  wishes. 

£  Modern  courtship  is  largely  made  up  of  giddy 
talking,  kissing,  fondling,  caressing,  and  foolish- 
ness in  general.  All  kissing,  fondling,  and 
caressing,  should  be  entirely  left  out  of  court- 
ship, at  least  till  after  eng;ap;ement.  then  in- 
dulged in  very  sparingly.  Nine-tenths  of  those 
who  spend  night  after  night  in  caressing  each 
other  either  in  a  short  time  become  disgusted 
vrith  each  other,  are  led  into  impurity,  or  form 
an  unhappy  union.  I  While  many  young  men 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  61 

profess  to  enjoy  such  festivities,  if  there  is  any 
manhood  and  purity  about  a  man  he  always 
admires  a  woman's  reserve  more  than  her  for- 
wardness, or  even  her  submission  to  his  unlaw- 
ful wishes.  Although  a  young  man  may  seem 
disappointed,  and  may  express  his  disappoint- 
ment at  the  refusal  to  accept  his  caressing  and 
fondling,  in  the  future  he  will  admire  you  more 
for  it;  and  when  the  time  comes  for  such  out- 
bursts of  the  heart's  affection  he  will  enjoy  it 
much  more.  There  is  something  in  the  nature 
of  man  that  admires  that  which  is  out  of  his 
reach:  that  which  comes  easily  and  freely  is  es- 
teemed lightly.  This  holds  true  with  the  wom- 
an's caresses  as  much  as  anything  else.  Caress- 
ing, petting,  and  fondling,  have  their  place,  and 
are  a  very  essential  part  of  true  love,  but  their 
place  is  invariably  after  engagement,  and  more 
properly  after  matrimony.  Many  people  use  up 
all  their  caresses  before  marriage,  and  at  the 
very  time  these  are  needed,  in  the  trials  and 
cares  of  life,  their  supply  being  exhausted,  they 
have  none  to  offer. 
[  Many  young  people  spend  night  after  night 
sitting  up,  possibly  till  midnight,  and  even 
later,  courting,  talking,  giggling,  and  laughing, 
thinking  very  little  about  the  realities  of  life. 
Night  courting  in  the  most  of  cases,  and  es- 
pecially keeping  late  hours,  is  very  improper. 


62  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

The  world  hears  little  about  the  right  laws  of 
courtship ;  and  all  that  most  young  people  know 
about  it  is  sitting  up  late  with,  possibly,  the 
light  extinguished,  and  talking  silly,  foolish,  soft 
words,  which  are  worse  than  useless.  Certainly 
this  is  far  from  purity,  and  should  be  indulged 
in  by  no  girl  who  regards  her  virtue  and  purity 
as  worth  protection.^; 

No  young  lady  should  receive  costly  presents 
from  a  young  man.  Solomon  says,  "A  gift 
blindetR  the  eyes. ' '  A  young  lady  who  accepts  a 
gift  from  a  young  man  feels  herself  somewhat 
under  obligation  to  notice  him,  and  it  robs  her, 
to  a  certain  extent,  of  the  right  of  her  inde- 
pendence. Gifts,  especially  costly  gifts,  should 
be  kindly  refused. 

The  Engagement. — The  engagement  is  a  sol- 
emn contract  and  should  be  entered  with  the 
greatest  of  caution  and  much  earnest  prayer. 
There  is  more  in  an  engagement  than  a  great 
many  people  realize.  When  you  have  engaged 
yourself  to  a  young  man  you  have  not  only 
promised  soon  to  be  his  wife  and  his  happy 
bride,  but  you  have  also  promised  to  reverence 
and  obey  him  and  stand  by  his  side  in  time  of 
storm  and  adversity;  to  share  his  sorrows  as 
well  as  joys;  and  to  leave  and  forsake  all  others 
for  him.  Of  course  you  expect  a  happy  mar- 
nage  anc(  a  bright  honeymoon,  but  however  high 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  63 

your  expectations  may  run,  you  are  sure  to  en- 
counter some  things  which  you  do  not  expect. 

Engagements  are  not  trifling  promises  that 
may  be  broken  at  will;  but  whether  you  realize 
it  or  not,  they  are  binding.  The  engagement  is 
really  the  first  step  that  binds  two  persons  to- 
gether, and  while  it  may  be  broken  under  some 
circumstances,  it  is  really  a  promise  in  the  sight 
of  God  in  which  you  pledge  your  honor  and 
trueness. 

It  is  well  to  be  somewhat  reserved  in  your 
caresses  even  after  engagement,  for  if  some 
unexpected  circumstance  should  occur  that 
would  prevent  the  consummation  of  your  en- 
gagement, you  would  possibly  feel  bad  to  think 
that  you  had  sat  upon  the  knee  of  some 
other  woman's  husband,  and  that  you  had  been 
fondled  and  caressed  by  a  man  who  was  not  in 
reality  your  own. 

The  engagement  ring  may  have  its  place 
among  worldly  people,  and  among  those  who 
have  little,  if  any,  regard  for  the  Bible,  but 
among  those  Avho  are  tridy  the  saints  of  the 
living  God,  it  has  no  place.  It  is  only  an  in- 
significant form,  and  its  value  is  very  meager, 
compared  with  the  promise  of  one  in  whom  you 
have  implicit  confidence.  If  the  w^ord  of  the 
one  who  has  promised  to  marry  you  is  true, 
it  is  true  without  an  engagement  ring;  and  if 


64  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

his  word  is  true,  the  engagement  ring  is  worth- 
less; and  besides  this,  the  Bible  says  that  we 
shall  not  wear  gold  and  costly  array. 

Oirls  who  have  a  mother  will  always  find  it 
more  advisable  to  consult  her  before  settling 
the  engagement.  However  much  you  may  think 
that  you  know,  mother  has  gone  through  some 
things,  and  learned  some  things  by  experience 
that  you  do  not  know  of  at  all,  and  even  if  you 
have  the  theory  of  them,  experimental  knowl- 
edge is  always  more  considerate  than  simply 
theory.  Be  sure  to  have  your  parents  get 
acquainted  with  your  caller,  and  always  beware 
of  a  young  man  who  avoids  making  their  ac- 
quaintance. A  man  whose  intentions  are  up- 
right, or  a  man  whose  love  is  pure,  will  be  glad 
of   the   opportunity   of   meeting   your   parents. 

It  is  also  advisable  in  many  cases,  if  not  in  all, 
to  consult  some  spiritual  adviser;  however,  you 
should  be  verj^  careful  about  whom  you  consult. 
Some  people  who  have  good  judgment  on  many 
other  lines  seem  to  be  entirely  void  of  under- 
standing in  matrimonial  affairs.  As  we  have  be- 
fore stated,  spirituality  and  accomplishments  in 
divine  life  have  a  great  bearing  upon  matri- 
monial affairs,  and  you  should  seek  advice  only 
from  those  who  are  spiritual,  and  those  who  have 
a  good  understanding  of  such  matters.  A  great 
piany  people  who  would  not  for  a  moment  be- 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  65 

lieve  tliat  they  are  guilty  of  sueh  thing:s,  are 
really  nothing  more  than  involuntary  match- 
makers. While  they  would  not  for  anj^thing 
enter  into  foolish  conversation  or  jesting  con- 
cerning love,  courtship,  and  marriage,  they  will 
unconscioush-  drop  remarks,  and  give  advice 
which  is  veiy  unwise.  The  best  guard  against 
all  the  mistakes  of  life,  and  the  many  dangers 
which  throng  our  pathway  wherever  we  go,  is 
the  unerring  guidance  of  the  Word  and  Spirit 
of  God. 

MARRIAGE. 

I  have  detained  you  now  much  longer  than 
I  intended,  but  if  you  will  bear  with  me  for  a 
short  time,  I  will  speak  to  you  on  the  im- 
portant subject  of  marriage.  We  read  in  the 
book  of  Genesis  that  the  Lord  said,  ''It  is  not 
good  that  man  should  be  alone ;  I  will  make  him 
an  help  meet  for  him."  "God  created  man  in 
his  ovm  image,  in  the  image  of  God  created  he 
him  ;  male  and  female  created  he  them."  Again 
we  read  in  Heb.  13 : -1,  "Marriage  is  honorable 
in  all,  and  the  bed  undefiled :  but  whoremongers 
and  adulterei's  God  will  judge." 

From  these  texts  we  learn  that  maiTiage  is  an 
institution  of  God,  and  is  honorable.  All  that 
emanates  from  God  has  divine  origin.  God 
created  man  a  living  soul ;  he  also  created  them 

5 


66  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

male  and  female,  therefore  sex,  as  well  as  the 
soul,  is  of  divine  origin.  If  those  who  enter 
matrimony  would  look  upon  it  as  it  is,  a  divine- 
ly-appointed institution,  there  would  be  fewer 
mistakes  and  less  unhappiness  connected  with 
matrimony.  Too  many  enter  it  in  a  light 
and  frivolous  way,  and  think  but  little  of  what 
it  means,  till  they  are  called  upon  to  face  the 
realities  of  its  responsibilities. 

History  of  Marriage. — The  first  history  of 
marriage,  like  the  first  history  of  all  things, 
we  find  in  the  book  of  Genesis.  To  find  out 
God's  intentions  and  desires  in  regard  to  mar- 
riage, we  have  only  to  read  this  divine  record. 
If  we  had  time  to  trace  the  institution  of  mar- 
riage down  through  the  many  thousand  yeai'S 
of  time,  we  would  find  it  degraded  and  per- 
verted in  almost  every  conceivable  manner;  but 
to  find  out  what  it  was  in  the  beginning  and 
what  it  should  be  now,  we  read  this  divine 
history  recorded  in  the  book  of  Genesis. 

God's  design  in  marriage  always  was  and 
always  will  be  monogamy  (single  wife).  Had 
God  intended  man  to  be  a  polygamist,  he 
would  have  made  him  a  plurality  of  wives  in 
the  beginning.  To  further  prove  that  God  did 
not  approve  of  polygamy,  we  may  read  the  his- 
tory of  Noah's  ark  and  the  flood.  When  God 
told  Noah  and  his  sons  to  enter  the  ark  be  told 


TO   MOTHERS   AND   DAUGHTERS.  67 

them  to  enter  by  twos,  each  man  Avith  one,  and 
only  one,  companion. 

Notwithstanding  God's  original  design  in  the 
creation  of  man,  almost  every  nation  that  has 
ever  existed  has  disobeyed  the  monogamic  law. 
We  shall  not  have  time  to  go  over  the  long  list 
of  nations  that  have  practised  polygamy ;  but  by 
reading  the  Old  Testament  as  well  as  profane 
history,  we  learn  that  tho  Egyptians  were  polj^g- 
amists,  and  many  other  nations  that  surrounded 
the  Jews  were  also  polygamists.  Many  times 
God's  chosen  people,  the  Jews,  were  led  astray 
by  the  heathen  nations  that  surrounded  them, 
and  practised  polygamy.  Even  Solomon,  the 
wise  man,  was  led  astray  by  this  evil  device  of 
Satan  and  caused  to  worehip  idols.  We  read  in 
1st  Kings  that  his  wives  and  concubines  num- 
bered one  thousand. 

China,  which  is  one  <>r  the  oldest  of  modern 
nations,  has  a  marriage  system  which  is  practi- 
cally polygamous.  While  from  their  earliest 
traditions  we  learn  that  a  man  could  have  but 
one  wife,  he  was  permitted  to  have  as  many  con- 
cubines as  he  desired.  We  can  well  understand 
that  many  Eastern  people  believe  in  and  practise 
polygamy,  when  we  remember  that  there  are 
about  150,  000,  000  Mohammedans,  who  are  all 
polygamists;  and  indeed  we  are  not  compelled 
to  go  back  thousands  of  yeai's  over  the  pages 


68  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

of  histoiy,  or  even  to  go  to  Eastern  nations,  to 
find  polygamy  in  its  worst  form;  for  even  the 
first  page  of  American  history  is  blotted  by  the 
evils  of  Mormon  polygamy. 

Had  we  time  to  go  over  the  history  of  the 
past  we  would  find  many  different  customs  of 
marriage.  Some  nations  have  bought  and  sold 
their  wives  as  they  would  dumb  animals;  some 
have  practised,  and  still  practise,  infant  mar- 
riage. Some  nations  think  little  more  of  their 
wives  than  Americans  do  of  their  dogs. 

Christianity  has  done  much  to  restore  to  man 
the  original  design  of  God  in  matrimony;  it  has 
emancipated  woman  from  the  slavery  of  polyg- 
amy, and  elevated  her  to  the  sacred  plane  on 
which  she  was  created.  Nothing,  in  fact,  strikes 
a  harder  blow  to  the  perverted  schemes  and 
plans  of  Satan  and  the  evil  practises  of  man, 
than  the  principles  of  Christianity.  While 
popular  Christianity  is  doing  much  for  the  peo- 
ple of  America,  it  remains  for  the  saints  of  the 
living  God  to  lift  the  standard  of  sexual 
purity  and  matrimony  to  its  original  plane.  So- 
called  Christianity  tolerates,  believes,  and  prac- 
tises many  things  in  regard  to  matrimony  which 
are  far  from  the  standard  of  truth.  The  clergy 
and  the  laity  alike  believe  in  and  practise  divorce 
and  many  other  things  which  are  plainly  for- 
bidden in  the  Word  of  God;  but  the  time  has 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  69 

come  that  judgment  must  begin  at  the  house 
of  God,  and  marriage,  together  with  every  other 
■God-given  institution,  must  be  restored  to  its 
original  plane.  With  the  pure  doctrines  of  the 
gospel  and  the  brightness  of  the  evening  light, 
there  comes  a  purity  of  heart  which  elevates 
man,  socially,  domestically,  and  every  way,  to 
the  highest  plane  of  heavenly  purity. 

The  Ceremony. — ]\tany  different  forms  of  cer- 
emony have  been  practised,  which  we  shall  not 
have  time  to  mention  this  evening;  but  I  wish  to 
bring  before  your  minds  a  few  plain  thoughts 
concerning  the  form  of  ceremony  that  should 
be  practised  by  Christian  people.  While  hea- 
thens may  go  through  great  manifestations  and 
long  ceremonies,  to  my  mind  the  simplest  and 
plainest  ceremon}^  is  the  nearest  in  line  with 
the  teachings  of  the  Bible.  No  costly  array  nor 
great  display  can  possibly  compare  with  the  jo^^s 
of  love  in  matrimony;  and  all  unnecessary  ex- 
pense and  performance  are  uncalled  for,  and 
should  be  dispensed  with  by  the  saints  of  the 
living  God.  It  is  not  necessary  to  follow  the 
customs  of  the  world  in  this,  any  more  than 
it  is  in  any  other  thing  which  God  forbids  us  to 
practise. 

The  Object  of  Marriage. — The  paramount  ob- 
ject of  marriage  will  be  found  recorded  in  the 
fii^t  chapter  of  Genesis  and  the  twenty-eighth 


70  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

verse,  where  God  says,  *'Be  fruitful,  and  multi- 
ply, and  replenish  the  earth."  While  there  are 
many  other  grand  and  glorious  benefits  con- 
nected with  marriage,  its  principal  object  is  the 
propagation  of  the  species;  and  those  who  seek 
to  evade  its  object  must  sacrifice  much  of  the 
real  pleasure  of  married  life. 

Marrying  for  Money. — There  are  many  ob- 
jects which  lead  people  into  matrimony;  but 
those  who  enter  it  for  anything  but  pure  and 
undefiled  love  will  fail  to  find  the  hidden 
treasure.  Money  has  power,  but  it  fails  to  pur- 
chase the  sweetest  of  joys.  Riches,  like  many 
other  temporal  things,  are  very  uncertain;  but 
love  is  an  eternal  element.  Riches  are  like 
birds  alighting  in  a  man's  field;  he  can  not  say 
that  they  belong  to  him,  for  he  knows  not  at 
what  time  they  will  take  their  flight  and  light 
in  some  other  man's  field. 

Marrying  for  Pity's  Sake. — Never  many  a 
man  because  you  pity  him.  A  great  many  times 
if  a  man  finds  he  can  not  win  the  heart  of  a 
young  lady  in  any  other  way,  he  will  seek  to 
excite  her  sympathies;  but  sympathy  should 
never  be  allowed  to  control  your  decision  for 
one  moment.  If  you  marry  a  man  because  you 
pity  him,  you  will  doubtless  in  a  very  short  time 
pity  j^ourself  because  you  married  him. 

Proper  Age  to  Marry. —  There  can  be  no  exact 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  71 

age  given  at  which  every  person  should  marry ; 
but,  generally  speaking,  women  should  marry 
between  the  ages  of  eighteen  and  twenty-five, 
and  men,  between  the  ages  of  twenty  and 
twenty-seven.  There  is  one  State  m  the  United 
States  which  allows  a  couple  to  marry  when  the 
girl  is  twelve  and  the  boy  is  fourteen  years  of 
age,  without  the  consent  of  parents;  but  this  is 
certainly  most  unwise. 

Physical  Qualities.— V^hile  intellectual  abili- 
ties and  disposition  of  character  are  by  far  the 
most  important  things  to  be  considered,  physi- 
cal qualities  should  have  a  secondary  place  in 
considering  marriage.  It  should  be  remembered, 
however,  that  beauty  is  only  external,  and  often 
deceptive.  Age  will  cause  beauty  to  flee,  but  on 
character  it  has  no  effect. 

Advantages  of  Marriage. — IMarriage  has  many 
advantages  for  both  sexes.  It  is  the  normal  state 
of  the  human  heart.  Intellectually  we  are 
raided  to  a  higher  power  and  nobler  plane  by  the 
influences  of  married  life.  Marrit'd  men  and 
women  feel  that  t|iey  have  sorr.pfhing  to  live  for. 
While  salvation  and  the  woik  of  tin'  Lord  give 
a  great  inspiration  to  live  and  Ix'  nv,I)le,  at  the 
same  time  when  it  is  in  God's  order  there  are 
elevating  features  about  the  married  life  found 
nowhere  else ;  and  especially  to  unsaved  people 
there  is  an  inspiration  and  an  elevation  in  mar- 


72  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

riage  which  can  be  realized  in  no  other  act  in 
life.  A  man  Avho  has  bad  habits  can  more  easily 
overcome  them,  if  he  has  the  influence  of  a  pure 
woman;  his  trials  of  life,  disappointments,  etc., 
are  much  more  easily  borne.  So  it  is  with  the 
woman  who  has  a  noble  husband  to  whom  she 
can  look  for  protection  and  encouragement. 

We  need  not  wonder  at  the  physical,  mental, 
and  social  advantages  in  married  life,  when  we 
remember  that  God  is  its  author.  It  should  be 
remembered,  however,  that  marriage  is  what 
God  intended  it  to  be,  only  when  it  is  entered 
according  to  his  will ;  otherwise  it  may  yield  the 
opposite   to   what   we   should   receive   from    it. 

Marriage  hetiveen  Samt  and  Sinner.— T\\\^ 
practise  the  Word  of  God  indirectly  condemns. 
While  the  Bible  does  not  directly  teach  that  it 
is  a  sin,  it  affords  numerous  examples  of  its 
evil  effects,  and  it  should  be  taught  against,  as 
it  is  one  of  the  most  cunning  devices  of  the 
enemy  of  righteousness,  by  which  he  has  lured 
into  utter  darkness  and  misery  many  dear  souls 
who  have  once  known  the  joys  of  salvation. 
Then,  dear  girls,  let  me  sound  this  note  of 
warning  loud  and  clear,  and  point  out  to  you  a 
breaker  upon  which  many  dear  souls  have  made 
shipwreck,  and  ruined  not  only  their  own  lives, 
but  also  that  of  their  offspring,  for  time  and 
eternity.     Then,  I  ask  in  the  face  of  reason  and 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  73 

truth,  Will  you  deliberately  walk  into  that  which 
will  destor>^  your  happiness  for  this  world  and 
the  one  to  come?  or  will  you  refuse  the  flatter- 
ing temptation  of  sin  and  Satan,  and  bow  to  the 
mandates  of  Heaven? 

How  often  in  the  past  have  we  seen  the  sad 
effects,  when  contrary  to  God's  will  some  young 
gentleman  or  lady  who  was  a  bright  and  shining 
light  for  Cod  would  consent  to  such  a  union. 
How  very  sad  to  see  the  souls  of  dear  saved  girls 
thus  ensnared  in'^a  net  which  very  often  leads 
them  from  (Jod.  How  soon  the  once  glowing 
light,  when  exposed  to  temptation,  becomes 
dim,  unless  the  Lord  is  near;  yea,  in  most  cases 
extinct  forever.  The  sin-benighted  soul  loses  all 
desire  for  the  fellowship  of  Christian  people, 
which  it  once  countiMl  so  sweet;  secret  prayer  be- 
comes a  burden;  and  finally,  discontented  and  in 
anguish,  the  soul  sinks  into  the  horrible  sleep  of 
sin:  m;iy  be  never  to  awake  till  the  thunderous 
tones  of  the  final  judgment  break  the  awful 
spell.    0  saint  of  God,  beware  ! 

"Know  ye  not  that  your  bodies  are  the  mem- 
bers of  Christ?  shall  I  then  take  the  members 
of  Christ,  and  make  them  the  members  of  an 
harlot?  God  forbid.  What?  know  ye  not  that 
he  which  is  joined  to  an  harlot  is  one  body?  for 
two,  saith  he,  shall  be  one  flesh. ' '  1  Cor.  6 :  15, 
16.    From  this  text  we  see  our  bodies  belong  to 


74  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

Christ:  then,  when  we  take  them  and  join  them 
to  a  sinner,  we  rob  God  of  what  belongs  to  him. 
''For  ye  are  bought  with  a  price,  therefore 
glorify  God  in  your  body,  and  in  your  spirit, 
which  are  God's."  1  Cor.  6:20. 

Many  young  ladies  especially  who  have  ac- 
cepted the  gospel  in  all  its  purity  as  it  shines 
clear  and  bright  from  the  evening  sun,  and  who 
have  been  made  free  in  a  Savior's  love,  have 
been  ensnared  in  this  deceptive  net  of  Satan's; 
and  even  ministers  of  the  gospel  have  been  taken 
in  it,  because  they  did  not  know  the  cunning 
devices  of  the  enemy.  "Surely  in  vain  the 
net  is  spread  in  the  sight  of  any  bird."  Prov. 
1 :  17.  Satan  has  learned  quite  well  that  this 
text  is  true;  so  if  he  can  not  succeed  in  deceiv- 
ing in  any  other  way,  he  will  cover  his  snare 
with  a  profession  of  godliness.  In  this  way  he 
has  caught  many  an  innocent  soul. 

Especially  young  ministers  need  much  wisdom 
and  sagacity  on  this  line.  Very  often  when  a 
young  minister  comes  into  a  neighborhood  the 
young  ladies  will  in  many  ways  try  to  win  his 
attention.  If  he  is  sufficiently  fortified  to  en- 
dure the  temptation  and  withstand  the  attrac- 
tion in  this  way,  Satan  sees  that  his  only  chance 
is  to  cover  the  net;  so  the  young  lady  that 
seems  to  be  the  highest  in  his  esteem  comes  to 
the  altar  and  goes  through  a  form  of  consecra- 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  75 

tion,  and  makes  a  profession  of  salvation. 
Then  the  trap  is  easily  sprung,  but  when  once 
sprung  binds  just  as  tightly;  for  her  profession 
lasts  only  through  the  honeymoon,  and  she 
soon  becomes  cross  and  irritable  and  wants  to 
settle  down  and  have  a  home.  So  the  captivated 
young  minister,  who  was  so  promising  and  did 
so  much  for  God,  is  soon  forced  to  settle  down  to 
work  with  his  hands  to  satisfy  the  covetous 
spirit  of  his  companioD,  and  Time  soon  says, 
"He  is  backslidden."  "Be  sober,  be  vigilant; 
because  your  adversary  the  devil,  as  a  roaring 
lion,  walketh  about,  seeking  whom  he  may  de- 
vour: whom  resist  steadfast  in  the  faith,  know- 
ing that  the  same  afflictions  are  accomplished  in 
your  brethren  that  are  in  the  world."  1 
Pet.  5:8,9. 

Young  ladies  are  very  often  trapped  in  the 
same  way,  the  young  men  simply  making  a  pro- 
fession in  order  to  deceive  some  of  the  opposite 
sex;  and  girls  very  often  make  the  sad  mistake 
of  marrying  a  young  man  simply  because  he 
professes  to  be  saved.  Dear  girls,  do  not  make 
this  mistake.  While  no  child  of  God  should 
marry  outside  of  Christ,  salvation  is  not  the 
only  prerequisite  to  a  happy  marriage ;  but  to 
the  contrary,  nothing  short  of  true  and  fervent 
love,  prompted  by  the  God  of  all  love,  should 
ever  induce   one   to   consent  to  such  a  union. 


76  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

The  Jewish  nation  was  a  type  of  the  kingdom 
of  Christ,  and  we  see  that  they  were  not  allowed 
to  marry  outside  of  their  own  nation.  We  will 
now  notice  a  few  texts  where  this  precept  was 
disobeyed,  and  see  the  sad  effects  of  the  same. 

''But  king  Solomon  loved  many  strange 
women,  together  with  the  daughter  of  Pharaoh, 
women  of  the  Moabites,  Ammonites,  Edomites, 
Zidonians,  and  Ilittites;  of  the  nations  con- 
cerning which  the  Lord  said  unto  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel,  Ye  shall  not  go  in  to  them, 
neither  shall  they  come  in  unto  you:  for  sure- 
ly they  will  turn  away  your  heart  after  their 
gods:  Solomon  clave  unto  these  in  love."  1 
Kings  11 : 1,  2.  What  was  the  effect  of  this  dis- 
obedience? "And  the  Lord  was  angry  with 
Solomon,  because  his  heart  was  turned  from  the 
Lord  God  of  Israel,  which  had  appeared  unto 
him  twice."  Ver.  9.  "Did  not  Solomon  king  of 
Israel  sin  by  these  things?  yet  among  many 
nations  was  there  no  king  like  him,  who  was 
beloved  of  his  God,  and  God  made  him  king 
over  all  Israel :  nevertheless  even  him  did  out- 
landish women  cause  to  sin. ' '  Neh.  13 :  26. 

Even  after  the  children  of  Israel  had  been  sub- 
jected to  captivity,  and  God  had  delivered  them 
again  from  the  Babylonians,  and  had  allowed 
them  to  rebuild  the  walls  of  Jerusalem,  they 
again  committed  this  sin.     "In  those  days  also 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  77 

saw  I  Jews  that  had  married  Avives  of  Ashdod, 
of  Anmion,  and  of  Moab:  and  their  children 
spake  half  in  the  speech  of  Ashdod,  and  could  not 
speak  in  the  Jews'  language,  but  according  to 
the  language  of  each  people."  Neh.  13:23,24. 
Here  is  shown  clearly  the  disadvantage  of  saints 
being  joined  to  sinners,  even  if  God  should  allow 
it.  It  is  the  duty  of  all  children  of  God  to 
train  their  children  in  the  way  they  should  go, 
both  by  precept  and  example,  and  when  saints 
of  God  have  unholy  companions,  they  can  not 
labor  together  to  train  their  offspring;  and  as 
they  are  by  nature  the  children  of  wrath  (see 
Eph.  2:3),  they  soon  follow  the  example  of  the 
unsaved  parent,  and  are  unable  to  speak  in  the 
Jews '  language.  See  Rom.  2 :  29.  "  Then, ' '  says 
some  one  who  has  been  saved  since  marriage, 
"must  I  be  separated  from  my  companion?" 
No,  this  is  not  necessary,  as  the  following 
scripture  will  prove:  "But  to  the  rest  speak  I, 
not  the  Lord:  If  any  brother  hath  a  wife  that 
believeth  not,  and  she  be  pleased  to  dwell  with 
him,  let  him  not  put  her  away.  And  the  woman 
which  hath  an  husband  that  believeth  not,  and 
if  he  be  pleased  to  dwell  with  her,  let  her  not 
leave  him."  1  Cor.  7:12,13.  While  the  in- 
fluence may  be  somewhat  against  you,  yet  in 
this  case  you  have  the  approval  of  God,  and  he 


78  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

has  promised  never  to  leave  you  nor  forsake 
you. 

Be  it  known  to  all,  that  God  is  not  pleased 
with  spiritual  Israel  (saints)  marrying  into 
heathen  nations  (sinners),  any  more  than  he  was 
with  literal  Israel ;  and  those  who  do  so,  being 
led  to  worship  the  idols  of  this  world,  must 
suffer  the  displeasure  of  God. 


LECTURE  IV. 

SEXUAL  PHYSIOLOGY  AND  ANATOMY. 

The  Boy  and  Girl  Before  the  Age  of  Puberty.— Puberty 
and    Its    Attendant    Changes. — Changes    in    the    Male 
System. — Changes  in  the  Female   System. — Genera- 
tion.— Eeproduetion  of  Plant  Life.— Eeproduction 
of    Animal    Life. — The    Male    Generative    Sys- 
tem.—The      Female      Generative      System.— 
The       Ovaries.— The       Uterus.— Fallopian 
Tubes.— The      Vagina.— Menstruation. — 
Need  of  Early  Teaching.— Care  During 
Menstruation. — Painful       Menstrua- 
tion. — The      Menopause. — Female 
Disorders. — Leucorrhea. — U  t  e  r- 
i  n  e      Displacement.— Causes. 

Dear  Friends:  I  invite  your  attention  this 
evenings  to  a  few  remarks  on  the  subject  of  sex- 
ual physiology.  I  realize  that  the  subject  is  a 
delicate  one,  but  this  makes  it  all  the  more  im- 
portant. The  nature  of  this  subject  and  the 
prevalence  of  the '  opinion  that  we  should  say 
nothing  about  it,  has  long  obscured  the  knowl- 
edge of  sexual  physiology  from  the  most  of  peo- 
ple; but  the  time  has  come  for  us  "to  know 
ourselves. ' ' 

79 


80  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

I  am  not  in  favor  of  overstepping  the  bounds 
of  decency,  and  talking  promiscuously  of  private 
matters,  but  I  do  earnestly  maintain  that  every 
woman  and  every  girl  should  have  a  knowledge 
of  the  organs  of  generation.  Such  things  as  we 
Avish  to  speak  of  to-night  should  be  clothed  in 
the  most  delicate  language,  and  listened  to  with 
profound  rcA^erence.  Before  going  further  I 
ask  your  pra^^ers  that  I  may  be  able  to  speak 
as  I  ought  to  speak. 

The  study  of  sexual  physiology  deserves  our 
best  attention,  as  its  importance  is  second  only 
to  the  study  of  the  Bible.  From  one- third 
to  one-half  of  women  are  disqualified  in  some 
way  for  marriage  and  motherhood,  and  in  many 
cases  this  is  due  to  a  lack  of  knowledge  of 
sexual  physiology.  Women  who  would  be  Avom- 
anly  and  strong  should  knoAV  something  about 
those  organs  peculiar  to  their  sex,  for  Avithout  a 
strong  and  healthy  body  none  of  us  are  able  to 
perfectly  fill  our  places  in  the  all-important  and 
God-given  office  of  parenthood. 

Procreation  is  the  most  sacred  and  God-like 
of  all  things  connected  Avith  our  natural  lives, 
and  the  organs  of  sex  are  more  closely  con- 
nected Avith  procreation  than  any  other  of  our 
members;  therefore  Ave  should  understand  them 
better  than  any  other  part  of  the  body.  The 
subjects  of  sexual  physiology  and  anatomy  are 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  81 

by  no  means  dull  or  uninteresting  studies,  for 
very  few  have  pursued  them  far  without  ex- 
claiming with  David,  "I  am  fearfully  and  won- 
derfully made. ' ' 

Believing  that  each  of  you  realize  the  impor- 
tance of  the  subject  before  us,  and  the  difficulties 
connected  with  speaking  of  it,  I  now  proceed 
without   further  preliminaries. 

THE   BOY  AND   GIRL  BEFORE   THE   AGE   OF   PUBERTY. 

Before  the  age  of  puberty  there  is  compara- 
tively little  to  mark  the  distinction  between  the 
sexes;  nevertheless,  there  lies,  in  the  organism 
of  every  boy  and  girl,  an  undeveloped  power, 
which  some  day  must  make  the  boy  a  man  and 
the  girl  a  woman.  Before  the  age  of  puberty 
the  features  of  the  boy  and  the  girl  are  not  so 
different  as  in  after  years ;  their  voices  are  alike, 
insomuch  that  they  sing  on  th©  same  clef;  in 
the  general  outlines  of  their  figures  we  see  but 
little  difference;  they  both  run,  jump,  hop,  and 
skip ;  and  so  similar  is  their  appearance  that  a 
stranger  may  mistake  Mary  for  John,  or  John 
for  Mary;  but  in  a  few  short  years  nature  will 
mark  the  difference  in  their  features,  voices,  fig- 
ures, and  habits,  so  unmistakably  plainly  that 
even  a  stranger  is  not  likely  to  be   deceived. 


82  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

PUBERTY   AND   ITS   ATTENDANT   CHANGES. 

The  boy  generally  arrives  at  puberty  about 
the  age  of  fourteen,  and  the  girl  about  thirteen. 
The  age  at  which  it  occurs  varies,  however,  in 
different  climates.  Food  and  habits  also  have 
an  effect  on  puberty.  Warm  climates,  rich 
foods,  and  a  lack  of  fresh  air  often  cause  the 
sexual  powers  to  develop  sooner.  Puberty  means 
the  ripening  or  maturing  of  the  sexes.  Up  to 
the  time  that  this  period  is  reached  we  may  say 
that  the  boy  and  the  girl  travel  the  same  road  so 
far  as  their  physiology  is  concerned;  but  when 
this  age  is  reached  their  paths  begin  to  separate 
one  from  the  other,  and  in  a  few  years  they  have 
reached  the  highways  of  manhood  and  woman- 
hood. 

Changes  in  the  Male  System.— It  requires  the 
utmost  care  on  the  part  of  mothers  and  sisters 
to  pilot  the  boy  safely  through  the  great  changes 
that  come  at  the  age  of  puberty.  Many  girls  not 
understanding  the  peculiar  change  will  tease 
and  laugh  at  their  brothers,  when  they  should 
put  forth  every  effort  to  make  home  happy  and 
agreeable.  During  this  period  the  boy  is  often 
very  awkward  and  bashful,  and  it  is  the  delight 
of  some  girls  to  laugh  at  and  make  fun  of 
their  brothers  for  every  awkward  move.  The 
very  best  thing  for  mothers  and  sisters  to  do  is 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  83 

to  make  home  as  pleasant  as  possible  for  the 
boy,  for  at  this  age  many  boys  run  away  from 
home,  and  they  often  do  so  because  home  is 
not  what  it  should  be.  If  you  will  overlook  the 
awkwardness  and  forgive  the  stubbornness  of 
your  son  and  brother,  do  that  which  will  please 
and  entertain  him,  and  make  life  enjoyable  to 
him,  you  will  reap  your  reward  in  a  few  years, 
in  his  manly  respect  and  love  for  you. 

At  this  age  the  physical  being  goes  through  a 
complete  change,  and  the  mental  change,  while 
less  apparent,  is  just  as  great.  Taking  this  into 
consideration,  you  should  be  able  to  judge  from 
the  physical  changes,  what  a  great  change  your 
son  or  brother  is  undergoing,  as  he  passes 
through  this  unsettled  state  between  boyhood 
and  manhood.  At  this  age  beard  begins  to  ap- 
pear on  the  boy's  face,  his  voice  begins  to  change, 
and  he  is  sometimes  very  bashful  and  exceeding- 
ly awkward.  He  begins  to  feel  that  he  is  a  man 
and  that  he  owes  attention  to  the  opposite  sex; 
in  fact,  he  feels  that  he  is  entering  a  new  and 
strange  world  of  which  he  has  never  heard 
before.  The  shoulders  begin  to  broaden,  he  be- 
gins to  grow  taller,  and  all  can  see  that  the  fine- 
featured  boy  is  being  fast  transformed  into  a 
stalwart  man. 

Unlike  the  one  of  earlier  years,  the  boy  who 
is  passing  through  this   change  begins  to   pa;, 


84  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

attention  to  ladies;  he  soon  loses  interest  in  his 
boyish  play  and  takes-  interest  in  manly  sports ; 
and  by  this  every  act  he  says,  ' '  I  will  soon  be  a 
man."  The  secret  of  it  all  is  that  at  the  age 
of  puberty  the  sexual  powers  are  awakened,  and 
the  secretory  glands  in  the  male  generative 
system  begin  their  functional  work.  The  special 
office  of  these  wonderful  organs  I  will  mention 
later,  in  connection  with  generation. 

Changes  in  the  Female  System. — The  changes 
in  the  female  system  are  quite  as  marked  as  in 
the  male.  At  this  period,  in  the  female  figure 
some  great  changes  take  place ;  the  hips  begin  to 
broaden,  the  breasts  begin  to  enlarge,  and 
the  symmetrical  proportions  are  changed.  At 
this  age  many  girls,  in  a  hurry  to  get  their 
bodies  into  a  womanly  shape,  gird  themselves 
with  corsets.  This,  dear  girls,  you  should  never 
do;  let  nature  have  her  way  for  a  few  years, 
and  she  will  build  you  a  beautiful  house.  God 
and  nature  are  the  best  of  all  architects;  and 
why  should  you  take  the  shaping  of  your  bodies 
out  of  their  hands  and  attempt  to  build  it 
yourselves?  Those  who  interfere  with  God 
and  nature  in  the  forming  of  their  bodies  never 
have  a  perfect  figure,  and,  worst  of  all,  they 
bring  upon  themselves  sickness  and  decay.  True, 
you  may  look  straight  and  awkward  for  a 
while,   but   if   you   will   keep   your   hands   off 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  85 

for  a  short  time,  nature  will  do  her  best  for 
yon,  and  God  will  be  pleased;  while  if  yon  in- 
terfere, you  will  never  have  a  perfect  body,  and 
God  will  be  displeased. 

As  in  the  male  system,  so  in  the  female;  at 
this  age  the  seicual  powers  are  awakened,  and 
the  generative  system  begins  its  wonderful  work. 
Possibly  the  most  important  change  in  the  fe- 
male system  is  the  appearance  of  the  catamenia 
or  menses.  At  this  period,  as  at  no  other  time 
in  life,  does  the  girl  need  the  care  of  a  mother. 
As  "a  friend  in  ne©d  is  a  friend  indeed,"  so  a 
mother  in  need  is  a  mother  indeed.  At  this 
imusual,  and  too  often  unexpected  occurrence, 
the  girl  is  embarrassed,  ashamed,  and  confused, 
till  she  does  not  know  what  to  do.  Mothere,  if 
you  would  be  true  to  your  daughters,  show  your 
motherly  care  for  them  at  this  time ;  for  at  this 
eventful  period  they  need  you  more  than  they 
may  ever  need  you  again. 

GENERATION. 

Organic  life  is  divided  into  two  great  divi- 
sions, known  as  the  Animal  Kingdom  and  the 
Vegetable  Kingdom,  and  God  has  invested  every 
living  being  with  the  power  to  reproduce  itself. 
I  shall  not  take  time  to  explain  to  you  the  an- 
cient theory  of  spontaneous  generation,  nor  shall 
we  spend  time  in  considering  the  wonders  of  the 


86  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

sea ;  for  in  its  watery  depths  are  untold  millions 
of  germs,  invisible  to  the  natural  eye,  that  are 
capable  of  producing  life.  In  fact  the  whole 
realm  of  nature  teems  with  little  atoms  cap- 
able of  reproducing  themselves.  As  I  have  be- 
fore stated,  reproduction  is  a  function  common 
to  all  organic  life.  God  has  invested  every 
plant  and  every  animal  with  the  power  to  prop- 
agate its  species. 

All  life  springs  from  two  elements.  In  the 
animal  kingdom  we  call  these  elements  the  sper- 
matozoa and  the  ova.  In  other  words  all  life 
springs  from  an  ovum  or  egg,  but  in  all  cases 
the  egg  must  be  fertilized  by  the  spermatozoa. 
These  two  dissimiliar  elements  give  rise  to  sex. 

Reproduction  of  Plant  Life.— In  some  forms 
of  vegetable  life  the  male  and  female  elements 
are  produced  by  the  same  plant,  and  in  other 
forms  these  elements  are  produced  by  different 
plants.  Indian  corn  is  a  good  example  of  the 
former  kind.  The  female  part  is  the  silk  or  ear, 
and  the  male  element,  or  pollen,  is  produced  on 
the  tassel.  Some  fruit-trees  also  have  both  the 
male  and  the  female  elements  on  the  same  tree. 
In  some  kinds  of  flowers  the  male  and  the 
female  elements  are  produced  by  the  same 
flower. 

The  most  interesting  kinds  of  plants,  or  at 
least  the  kinds  that  will  serve  best  as  an  illustra- 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  87 

tion  of  sex,  are  those  that  have  the  male  and  the 
female  elements  on  different  plants.  A¥hile  it 
may  seem  extraordinary  to  attach  the  idea  of 
sex  to  plants,  there  are,  nevertheless,  male  and 
female  plants,  just  as  there  are  male  and  femalo 
animals. 

Some  varieties  of  the  strawberry  serve  as  an 
illustration  of  the  existence  to  some  extent  of 
the  male  and  the  female  elements  on  different 
plants.  If  you  will  take  the  trouble  to  examine 
the  blossoms  of  the  strawberry,  you  can  readily 
distinguish  the  male  flower  from  the  female. 
The  male  element  in  plants  is  called  the  pollen. 
While  the  strawberry  is  in  bloom  the  gentle 
breezes  waft  the  pollen  to  the  female  flower, 
where  it  meets  the  female  element  and  accom- 
plishes fertilization,  or  fecundation. 

Reproduction  of  Animal  Life. — In  all  cases 
that  we  shall  mention  the  ftiale  and  the  female 
elements  are  produced  by  different  individuals. 
There  are  three  different  modes  of  reproduc- 
tion among  animals  of  which  we  wish  to  speak. 
They  are:  first,  those  animals  whose  ova  are 
fecundated  after  leaving  the  body  of  the  female ; 
second,  those  animals  whose  ova  meet  the  male 
element  before  leaving  the  body  of  the  female, 
and  yet  are  hatched  or  developed  outside  the 
body;  third,  those  animals  whose  ova  are  both 


88  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

fecundated  and  developed  inside  the  body  of 
the  female. 

The  first  class  mentioned  are  represented  by 
the  fishes.  The  ova  are  discharged  from  the 
body  of  the  female,  into  the  water,  after  which 
the  male  fish  swims  over  them  and  expels  from 
his  body  upon  them  a  whitish  fluid  containing 
the  spermatozoa.  The  eggs  are  then  left  in  the 
water  to  develop  into  little  fishes. 

Those  animals  whose  ova  are  fecundated  be- 
fore leaving  the  body  and  are  developed  after 
leaving  the  body  are  chiefly  represented  by  the 
fowls. 

The  third  class  is  that  to  which  man  belongs. 
The  same  law  which  we  have  observed  in  the 
reproduction  of  all  other  organic  life  holds  good 
in  the  reproduction  of  mankind.  This  law  is, 
that  the  reproduction  of  life  is  brought  about 
by  the  union  of  two  dissimilar  elements.  These 
elements  in  the  animal  kingdom,  as  we  have 
before  stated,  are  called  the  ova  and  spermato- 
zoa. The  former  is  produced  by  the  female 
generative  system,  and  the  latter  is  produced  by 
the  male. 

Having  now  set  before  j^ou  the  source  o-f  all 
natural  life,  you  can  better  understand  the  phys- 
iology and  anatomy  of  the  generative  organs, 
to  which  we  now  turn  our  attention. 


TO  MOTHERS  AKD  DAUGHTERS.  89 

THE  MALE  GENERATIVE  SYSTEM. 

I  do  not  think  it  necessary  to  dwell  at  length 
on  the  male  generative  system,  but  a  few  words, 
I  believe,  will  be  edifying.  The  human  sperma- 
tozoa are  secreted  from  the  male  system  by  two 
glands  called  testes.  The  spermatozoa  are  in- 
visible to  the  naked  eye,  but  when  under  a  mag- 
nifying glass  they  can  be  seen.  They  consist  of 
a  flattened  body,  having  a  long  appendage  tap- 
ering to  a  very  fine  point.  The  male  generative 
system  is  capable  of  producing  thousands  of 
these  minute  atoms  in  a  very  short  time.  They 
are  secreted  from  the  system  hy  the  organs  be- 
fore mentioned,  and  deposited,  together  with  an- 
other secretion  in  appearance  somewhat  like  the 
white  of  an  egg.  in  the  seminal  vesicles,  situated 
behind  the  bladder  and  in  front  of  the  rectum. 
The  speiTQatozoa  float  in  this  fluid  until  both 
leave  the  body  or  are  reabsorbed  by  the  system. 

THE  FEMALE  GENERATIVE  SYSTEM. 

The  organs  which  produce  the  human  ova  arc 
called  ovaries. 

The  Ovaries. — These  organs  are  two  in  num- 
ber, and  they  lie  one  on  each  side  of  the  inter- 
ior of  the  female  pelvis.  Each  of  these  wonder- 
ful little  organs  contains  about  thirty  thousand 
ova.     This  would  make   about  sixty  thousand 


90  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

ova  in  the  female  generative  system.  In  this, 
as  in  the  numberless  spermatozoa  in  the  male 
system,  we  can  see  how  God  has  so  wonderfully 
provided  for  the  perpetuation  of  the  human 
family.  You  may  wonder  how  so  many  ova 
could  find  room  in  the  body,  but  it  will  all  seem 
clear  when  you  remember  that  they  are,  when 
ripened,  only  about  the  size  of  a  mustard  seed. 
A¥hile  there  are  so  many  ova  and  so  many  sper- 
matozoa, only  one  of  each  is  required  to  produce 
a  new  being.  How  wonderful  are  all  the  works 
of  God. 

The  Uterus. — The  uterus,  more  commonly 
called  the  womb,  is  a  pear-shaped  sac,  situated 
in  the  cavitiy  of  the  pelvis,  between  the  bladder 
and  the  rectum.  The  womb  measures  about 
three  inches  in  length,  two  in  breadth  at  its 
upper  part,  and  an  inch  in  thickness.  It  weighs 
from  an  ounce  to  an  ounce  and  a  half.  When 
the  body  is  in  an  upright  position  the  upper  ex- 
tremity of  the  womb  is  tipped  a  little  to  the 
front.  The  lower  extremity  enters,  and  is  en- 
closed by,  the  upper  end  of  the  vagina.  The 
womb  is  held  in  a  swinging  position  by  four 
ligaments,  two  of  which  are  round  and  two  are 
broad.  They  are  called  round  and  broad  liga- 
ments, according  to  their  shapes. 

Fallopian  Tules.—The  Fallopian  tubes,  which 
are  two  in  number,  connect  the  ovaries  with  the 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  91 

womb.  These  tubes  are  possibly  a  little  larger 
in  diameter  than  a  horsehair.  One  end  of  each 
of  the  Fallopian  tubes  connects  with  the  womb 
from  each  side,  while  the  other  ends  extend  out- 
ward to  the  ovaries.  The  ends  of  the  Fallopian 
tubes  that  are  connected  with  the  ovaries  are 
fringed  or  fibrous,  and  at  the  time  of  ovulation 
one  of  these  fibrous  ends,  by  a  suction  motion, 
tears  an  ovum  lose  from  the  ovary,  after  which 
it  passes  through  the  Fallopian  tube  to  the 
cavity  of  the  womb. 

The  Vagina. —  The  vagina  is  the  canal  which 
leads  from  the  uterus  to  the  outside  of  the  body. 
The  vagina  is  about  six  inches  in  length,  and  is 
completely  closed  at  the  upper  end  by  the  mouth 
of  the  uterus.  A  fold  of  mucous  membrane 
called  the  hymen  stretches  across  and  partly 
closes  the  external  orifice  of  the  vagina.  Under 
the  Mosaic  law  the  absence  of  this  membrane 
was  considered  a  positive  sign  of  unchastity, 
while  its  presence  was  considered  a  sure  mark 
o^-J^£ifii^  Read  Deut.  22:13-21.  ~  At  the 
present  time  the  absence  of  the  hymen  is  not 
always  considered  a  mark  of  unchastity,  as  it 
may  sometimes  be  destroyed  by  disease,  neither 
is  its  presence  considered  as  an  absolute  sign 
of  virginity.  However,  some  dependence  can 
be  placed  on  this  sign,  and  eveiy  girl  should 
seek  to  keep  her  body  free  from  disease  and 


92  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

avoid  any  abuse  of  the  genital  organs.  Girls 
should  know  that  if  in  any  way  this  membrane 
is  destroyed,  and  they  are  ever  married,  they 
may  possibly  be  suspected  of  unchastity. 

The  presence  of  the  hymen  is  sometimes  the 
cause  of  much  perplexity  and  anxiety  to  newly 
married  people,  as  the  first  conjugal  relations 
are  often  accomplished  with  difficulty  and  at- 
tended with  some  pain.  This  embarrassment  is 
only  temporary,  however,  and  no  feeling  of 
alarm  need  be  entertained. 

MENSTRUATION. 

The  word  menses  comes  from  the  word  men- 
sis,  which  means  month.  This  name  was  possibly 
applied  to  this  condition  of  the  female  system 
because  of  its  monthly  occurrence.  The  men- 
strual period  should  occur  every  twenty- eight 
or  twenty-nine  days  except  during  pregnancy 
and  nursing,  when  it  does  not  usually  occur 
at  all.  One  writer  has  called  the  catamenial 
period  ''Nature's  house-cleaning  time."  In 
other  words  menstruation  is  nature's  prepara- 
tion for  reproduction. 

I  spoke  to  you  a  short  time  ago  about  ovula- 
tion, or  the  passing  of  the  ova  or  eggs  from  the 
ovaries  to  the  uterus.  It  is  a  generally  accepted 
theory  that  ovulation  takes  place  at  the  same 
time  as  menstruation.     One  of  these  ova  ripens 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  93 

every  twenty-eight  days  and  passes  do^vn  the 
Fallopian  tubes  into  the  uterus,  where  it  remains 
from  three  to  fourteen  days.  At  the  end  of 
about  fourteen  days,  if  not  fecundated,  this 
ovum  passes  down  the  vagina  and  out  of  the 
body.  Sometimes  the  ovum  meets  the  fertilizing 
principle  of  the  male  before  reaching  the  uterus. 
In  such  cases  it  passes  down  to  the  uterus  and 
there  develops  into  a  new  life. 

The  womb  is  lined  with  a  mucous  membrane 
similar  to  that  which  lines  the  mouth,  and  at 
the  time  of  ovulation  this  membrane  becomes 
swollen  and  soft,  and  little  hemorrhages,  or 
bleedings,  occur  from  three  to  five  days,  the 
blood  passing  away  from  the  vagina.  This  is 
called  menstruation. 

Need  of  Early  Teaching.— In  the  beginning 
of  this  series  of  talks  I  mentioned  some  of  the 
dangers  of  ignorance  on  these  lines,  but  this  is 
such  an  important  point  that  I  shall  add  a  few 
more  remarks  to  what  I  hnve  before  said.  Some- 
times when  girls  have  not  been  taught  before- 
hand concerning  the  important  change,  they  be- 
come frightened  at  the  sight  of  the  menstrual 
fluid,  thinking  they  have  some  dreadful  disease, 
or  that  something  serious  has  happened  to  them. 
Girls  have  been  laiown  to  do  some  very  unwis? 
things  under  these  circumstances,  and  many 
have  stopped  the  menstrual  flow  by  washing  in 


94  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

cold  water,  and  brought  on  themselves  life-long 
suffering. 

Care  During  Menstruation. — Girls  can  do 
many  things  at  other  times  which  they  should 
not  do  during  the  catamenial  period.  One  of 
the  most  important  things  is  to  avoid  taking 
cold.  All  heavy  work,  such  as  washing,  ironing, 
scrubbing,  and  lifting  should  be  dispensed  with 
at  this  time  if  possible.  Some  girls,  it  is  true, 
can  stand  more  than  others  at  this  period,  but 
heavy  work,  wet  feet,  and  long  walks  will  soon 
break  down  the  health  of  the  most  of  women. 
A  full  bath  should  by  no  means  be  taken  during 
the  menstrual  period,  but  tepid  water  used 
sparingly  to  keep  the  body  clean  is  not  harmful. 

That  dreaded  disease  called  consumption  is 
often  brought  on  by  some  unwise  act  during  the 
catamenial  period,  for  there  is  probably  no  surer 
way  of  contracting  this  disease  than  to  stop  the 
menstrual  flow.  Girls  are  sometimes  heard  to 
say,  * '  Oh,  I  hate  being  a  woman ; ' '  b^it  if  they 
realized  the  importance  of  it  they  would  pos- 
sibly be  glad  to  be  as  God  has  made  them. 
Many  girls  who  are  sick  and  suffering  would  be 
very  glad  to  be  a  natural  woman. 

Painful  Menstruation. — Menstruation  should 
be  painless;  God  never  intended  that  women 
should  be  semi-invalids,  but  wrong  habits,  tight 
lacing,    overwork,    and   other   evils   of   modern 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  95 

society  are  doing  much  to  make  them  such. 
Painful  menstruation  is  frequently  caused 
through  ignorance  and  consequent  injudicious 
conduct  at  the  first  appearance  of  the  menstrual 
flow.  At  this  time  girls  are  often  accused  of 
laziness,  on  account  of  their  feeling  of  lassitude. 
This  tired  feeling  is  nature's  indication  that 
the  girl  should  rest,  and  nature  is  sure  to  punish 
those  who  disohey  her  commands.  Mothers  who 
will  take  care  of  their  daughters  by  keeping 
them  from  all  overexertion,  and  nervous  ex- 
citement, will  be  abundantly  rewarded  by  the 
health  of  their  girls.  Habitual  neglect  of  the 
bowels  is  frequently  the  cause  of  painful  men- 
struation. 

Possibly  one  of  the  most  frequent  causes  of 
pain  at  the  catamenial  period  is  displacemenc 
of  the  internal  organs  caused  by  tight  lacing. 
•Getting  chilled  or  cold  often  causes  painful 
menstruation,  but  this  is  generally  relieved  by 
the  application  of  hot  cloths,  a  hot-water  bottle, 
or  anything  that  will  produce  heat.  When  the 
pains  are  caused  by  nervous  exhaustion  alone 
they  may  be  relieved  in  some  cases  by  the  ap- 
plication of  cold,  but  in  most  cases  the  applica- 
tion of  heat  is  much  better.  Use  cold  applica- 
tions only  when  the  application  of  heat  increases 
the  pain.  I  have  lmo\s?Ti  women  who  were  the 
mothers  of  children,  and  o^r\  enough  to  thorough- 


96  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

ly  understand  such  things,  to  suffer  intensely 
for  hours,  when  the  application  of  heat  would 
have  relieved  them  in  a  few  minutes.  I  do  not 
regard  the  application  of  heat  or  cold  as  a 
remedy  objectionable  any  more  than  warming 
our  hands  when  they  are  cold,  or  fanning  our- 
selves  when   we    are   warm. 

The  Menopause.— The  fruitful  age  of  women 
generally  ends  about  the  age  of  forty-five.  This 
makes  a  period  of  thirty-one  years,  from  the 
appearance  of  the  catamenia  to  the  climacteric, 
or  menopause,  during  which  time  the  procre- 
ative  organs  in  women  are  active.  Before  the 
appearance  of  the  catamenia,  or  after  the  cli- 
macteric, child-bearing  is  impossible.  Before 
puberty  the  ovaries  are  not  developed  and  do 
not  produce  ova,  and  after  the  menopause  these 
organs  cease  to  perform  their  functions.  This 
does  not  mean  that  women  should  bear  children 
from  fourteen  to  forty-five,  but  that  procreation 
is  possible. 

Puberty  is  the  critical  change  for  the  daugh- 
ter, and  the  climacteric  is  the  critical  change  for 
the  mother;  and  as  the  daughter  at  puberty 
needs  the  care  of  the  mother,  so  the  mother  at 
the  menopause  needs  the  care  and  encourage- 
ment of  the  daughter.  Girls  who  shirk  the  re- 
sponsibilities of  housework  and  scold  mother 
for  her  childishness,  will  realize  their  mistake 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  97 

when  they  reach  the  menopause  themselves  and 
feel  the  nervousness,  despondency,  and  physical 
and  mental  weakness  caused  thereby.  Girls,  if 
you  were  never  kind  to  mother  before,  do  be 
kind  to  her  at  this  time.  Bear  with  her  as  she 
has  often  borne  with  you;  care  for  her  as  she 
has  often  eared  for  you;  encoura8:e  and  help 
l>er  all  you  can;  relieve  her  of  domestic  respon- 
sibilities; take  her  place  in  the  daily  work  and 
give  her  a  rest,  and  in  doing  these  things  you 
can  help  to  pay  the  dept  of  love  which  you  can 
never  fully  repay. 

FEMALE    DISORDERS. 

The  weight  of  the  abdominal  organs  rests  to 
a  great  extent  on  the  pelvic  organs,  and  any- 
thing which  tends  to  compress  the  abdomen 
forces  the  intestines  down  upon  the  womb  and 
crowds  it  out  of  its  place.  Possibly  there  is  no 
practise  among  women  which  causes  so  much 
trouble  as  the  evil  of  tight  lacing.  I  suppose 
that  I  am  safe  in  saying  that  a  large  majority 
of  civilized  women  are  afflicted  with  some  form 
of  female  disorder. 

L'eucorrhea.— This  disorder  generally  comes 
from  some  uterine  trouble,  and  is  not  a  disease 
of  itself,  but  a  symptomatic  manifestation  of  n 
disease. 


98  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

Uterine  Displacement. — The  uterus  may  be  dis- 
placed in  several  different  ways;  it  may  fall 
backward,  forward,  or  downward,  or  it  may  be 
bent  upon  itself.  When  this  organ  falls  down- 
ward it  is  called  prolapsus;  when  it  falls  for- 
ward it  is  called  anteversion;  and  when  it  falls 
backward  it  is  called  retroversion;  when  it  is 
bent  forward  upon  itself  it  is  called  anteflexion,' 
and  when  it  is  bent  backward  upon  itself  it  is 
called  retroflexion. 

Causes. — The  causes  of  uterine  displacement 
are  many.  Some  of  the  most  frequent  causes  are 
lack  of  rest  during  menstruation,  tight  lacing, 
lack  of  care  during  parturition,  heavy  lifting, 
and  overexertion.  Overexertion  and  heavy  lift- 
mg  should  be  especially  guarded  against  during 
menstruation,  as  at  this  time  the  uterus  is  gorged 
with  blood  and  is  much  heavier  than  at  other 
times,  consequently  much  easier  displaced.  Long 
walks,  running  up  and  down  stairs,  and  all  ex- 
traordinary nervous  excitement  should  be  care- 
fully avoided  during  the  catamenial  period. 
Jumping  out  of  vehicles,  wearing  high-heeled 
shoes,  and  the  habit  of  standing  on  one  foot,  are 
all  conducive  to  uterine  displacement.  Of  course 
all  girls  can  not  be  subjected  to  the  same  rules ; 
so  the  best  thing  for  fou  to  do  is  to  carefully 
study  yourselves  and  then  avoid  that  which  you 
find  to  be  injurious. 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  99 

Finally,  I  wish  that  you  all  may  prosper  and 
be  in  health  soul  and  body. 

**Aim  to  be  a  true  woman,  stout-hearted  and  brave; 

Be  one  of  the  brightest  of  gifts  God  ever  gavej 

Be  not  fashionable,  idle  or  vain, 

But  a  woman  to  grapple  with  sorrow  and  pain. 

Be  a  woman  of  smiles,  not  a  woman  of  tears. 

Be  a  woman  of  hope,  not  a  woman  of  fears. 

Be   a   woman   of   joy,   when   sorrows   assail. 

Be  a  help,  not  a  clog,  when  misfortunes  prevail. 

Never  mind  if  mistakes  your  life  path  should  throng. 

Never  mind  a  few  jolts,  as  you  journey  along. 

Be  true  to  yourself,  and  be  true  to  your  God, 

Be  a  home- joy,  a  solace,  the  best  that  you  can; 

Oh!  be  what  God  made  you — 'a  helpmate'  to  man." 


LECTURE   V. 

TIGHT   LACING  AND   DRESS. 

Effects    of    Tight    Lacing    on    the    Human    System. — 

The  Heavenly  Feet   Society.— Belts   and  Tight 

Clothing.— Common      Sense      Clothing. 

Dear  Friends  :  The  evil  of  tight  lacing  is  one 
of  the  greatest  curses  ever  imposed  upon  women. 
While  the  statement  may  seem  a  little  strong, 
I  believe  it  is  nevertheless  true,  that  tight  lac- 
ing among  women  is  almost  as  great  a  curse  as 
drunkenness  among  men.  Its  effects,  of  course, 
are  not  so  instantaneous,  but  they  are,  neverthe- 
less, quite  as  marked.  Almost  nine-tenths  of  the 
ailments  known  to  the  female  system  are  caused 
directly  or  indirectly  through  the  evil  effects 
of  tight  lacing.  It  is  astonishing  to  see  how 
women  of  all  lands  and  all  ages  have  blindly 
followed  the  prevailing  fashions  regardless  of 
their  health  and  the  injury  brought  upon  their 
offspring.  For  my  part  I  can  not  see  why 
tight  lacing  was  ever  invented.  Men,  as  a  rule, 
especially  men  of  good  judgment,  do  not  admire 
slender  waists.  In  the  perfect  female  figure  the 
hips  are  somewhat  broader  than  the  shoulders, 

101 


102  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

and  the  line  from  the  shoulders  to  the  hips  has 
only  a  slight  inward  curve,  just  enough  to  make 
a  graceful  figure.  Neither  nature  nor  art  would 
suggest  the  ill-shaped  forms  of  fashionable  wom- 
en. The  Venus  dei  Medici,  an  ancient  statue, 
is  considered  the  most  perfect  model  of  the  fe- 
male form,  and  has  been  the  admiration  of  th'j 
world  for  many  ages.  This  form  differs  widely 
from  the  modern  idea  of  the  fashionable  waist. 
Among  the  ancient  Greeks,  who  were  an  artistic 
people,  a  contracted  waist  was  not  considered  a 
mark  of  beauty.  You  may  ask  how  women 
would  look  if  they  were  to  allow  their  forms 
to  go  unlaced?  I  answer.  They  would  look  as 
God  intended  they  should.  Nature  would  never 
suggest  a  contracted  waist ;  and  why  women  will 
persist  in  disobeying  both  art  and  nature,  has 
been  a  puzzle  for  ages. 

The  origin  of  the  corset  is  lost  in  antiquity. 
The  ancient  Egyptians  doubtless  had  some  way 
of  contracting  and  deforming  the  waist.  The 
prophet  Isaiah  also  mentions  a  "stomacher," 
which  perhaps  was  something  like  the  modern 
corset,  or  at  least  some  contrivance  for  the  same 
purpose.  Tight  lacing  was  possibly  more  prev- 
alent in  the  sixteenth  century  than  at  any 
other  time  previous  to  that.  At  that  time  a 
thirteen-inch  waist  was  considered  the  fashion- 
able standard,  when  the  natural  average  should 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  103 

be  about  twenty-seven  inches.  In  order  to  con- 
tFact  the  waist  to  this  measurement  strong  cor- 
sets were  worn  day  and  nigkt,  and  over  the 
regular  corset  was  worn  a  corset  made  of  steel, 
which  readied  from  the  hips  to  the  throat,  hold- 
ing tke  body  in  a  rigid  position.  \Yriters  who 
lived  about  1810  tell  us  that  it  was  a  common 
sight  to  see  a  mother  lay  her  daughter  on  the 
carpet  and  break  several  laces  attempting  to 
lace  her  daughter's  corset.  At  present,  of 
course,  the  fashion  does  not  demand  such  an 
extremely  slender  waist;  but  if  fashion  demajid- 
ed  it  women  would,  if  possible,  devise  some  plan 
to  contract  their  waists  to  whatever  happened  to 
be  the  fashionable  standard.  The  evil  effects, 
however,  of  the  present  corset  wearing  are  al- 
most beyond  our  estimation,  when  we  think  of 
the  untold  misery  brought  upon  offspring  as 
well  as  those  who  wear  these  horrid  vises. 

Effects  of  Tight  Lacing  an  ihe  Human  Sys- 
tem.— The  bone  structure  of  the  human  system 
is  so  constructed  as  to  give  just  enough  room 
for  the  free  action  of  ever}'  internal  organ,  and 
tke  least  contraction  of  this  human  framework 
throws  some  organ  out  of  place,  or  deprives  it 
of  the  room  required  in  order  to  properly  per- 
form its  functions.  As  a  general  thing  young 
girls  begin  to  wear  corsets  and  lace  themselves 
at  thirteen  or  fourteen  years  of  age,  and  fre- 


104  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

quently  several  years  before  this.  At  the  age 
of  fourteen  or  fifteen  the  bone  structure  is  very 
tender  and  has  not  reached  its  growth,  and  if 
it  is  incased  in  a  whale-bone  jacket  it  can  never 
attain  to  its  full  growth;  consequently  the 
physical  frame  must  ever  be  deformed  and  in- 
complete. Why  is  it  that  mothers  can  not  see 
this?  Has  the  all-wise  Architect  of  our  bodies 
made  a  mistake  in  giving  us  our  proportions? 
What  a  shame  that  we  should  thus  reflect  upon 
the  Creator  and  change  his  plans  to  suit  the  un- 
holy desires  of  a  wicked  world,  and  bring  disease 
and  physical  weakness  instead  of  health  and 
vigor. 

The  muscular  system  is  also  greatly  hindered 
by  tight  lacing;  the  muscles  of  the  heart,  lungs, 
stomach,  and,  in  fact,  the  muscles  of  the  en- 
tire vital  system  are  hindered  by  this  awful 
practise.  The  liver  also  is  greatly  hindered  in 
performing  its  work  in  the  system,  being  often 
almost  cut  in  two  by  the  murderous  practise  of 
tight  lacing.  The  corset  liver  is  well  known  in 
the  dissecting  room.  Surgeons  tell  us  that  it  is 
often  almost  cut  in  two,  having  only  a  very  small 
piece  to  hold  it  together.  Is  it  any  wonder  that 
the  women  of  America  and  other  fashionable 
lands  are  growing  weaker?  The  heart  also  is 
hindered  from  throwing  its  life-giving  elixir  to 
the  extremities  of  the  body,  and  thus  the  en- 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  105 

tire  system  is  made  dull  and  weak.  The  brain 
to  act  properly  must  have  a  full  supply  of  fresh 
blood.  Indirectly  tight  lacing  affects  the  brain 
by  preventing  the  natural  flow  of  the  blood. 
The  nerve-center  located  in  the  small  of  the 
back,  the  spinal  column,  and  the  entire  nervous 
system  are  overheated,  crushed,  and  deformed 
by  the  use  of  the  corset,  or  too  much  heavy 
clothing. 

Possibly  no  other  organ  receives  as  much  dam- 
age from  this  awful  practise  as  the  lungs,  since 
at  every  breath  they  must  expand,  and  the  bone 
structure  or  the  ribs  being  crushed  in  upon 
them  keeps  them  from  expanding  sufficiently 
to  take  in  enough  air  to  rightly  purify  the  blood. 
No  woman  who  wears  a  corset  can  possibly 
breathe  as  she  should.  In  fact  nine-tenths  of 
women  are  unable  to  breathe  properly ;  and  even 
under  training  it  is  veiy  hard  in  general  for 
women  to  practise  abdominal  breathing.  Any 
clothing  worn  too  tight  to  allow  a  full,  deep 
breath  to  be  taken  unobstructed  is  too  tight  for 
health. 

The  stomach  also  is  greatly  imposed  upon  by 
tight  lacing,  causing  indigestion,  dyspepsia,  and 
many  other  stomach  disorders.  The  heart,  liver, 
stomach,  and  lungs  are  crowded  together  and 
pushed  out  of  their  places.  The  intestines  are 
crowded  down  upon  the  lower  internal  organs, 


106  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

often  misplacing  them  entirely,  and  causing 
many  forms  of  female  disorder. 

Tight  lacing  is  generally  supposed  to  be  prac- 
tised for  beauty,  but  besides  the  ill  shape  to  the 
form  in  general  it  has  the  effect  of  producing 
anything  but  beauty.  It  robs  the  complexion 
of  its  natural  color,  and  the  complexion  is  con- 
sidered to  be  very  essential  to  beauty.  At  first 
tight  lacing  causes  a  redness  and  flushed  appear- 
ance of  the  skin,  but  after  the  corset-  has  been 
worn  long  enough  to  weaken  the  heart  and  in- 
ternal organs,  a  pale  and  sallow  condition  of 
the  complexion  is  brought  about. 

Tke  Heavenly  Feet  Society.— In  China  the 
young  men  formed  what  they  called  a  Heavenly 
Feet  Society.  Binding  themselves  together  in 
an  organization,  they  vowed  never  to  marry  a 
woman  who  would  not  let  her  feet  grow  to  their 
natural  size.  I  suppose,  of  course,  that  most  of 
you  understand  that  Chinese  women  lace  their 
feet,  while  women  of  some  other  nations  lace 
their  waists.  I  am  not  very  much  in  favor  of 
organizations  and  societies,  but  I  have  sometimes 
thought  that  it  would  be  a  blessing  if  the  young 
men  of  America  would  form  themselves  together 
in  a  Heavenly  Waist  Society,  and  vow  never  to 
marry  a  woman  who  would  not  allow  her  waist 
to  grow  to  its  natural  size.  American  and  Euro- 
pean women  laugh  at  the  Chinese  women  for 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  107* 

binding  their  feet  to  keep  them  from  growing, 
and  think  it  disgusting  k)  see  them  hobbling 
along,  unable  to  walk  without  the  greatest  ef- 
fort; but  if  I  were  choosing  between  bandaging 
the  feet  and  lacing  the  waist,  I  would  choose  the 
former.  In  the  feet  there  are  no  vital  organs; 
but  tight  lacing  contracts  the  form  and  hin- 
ders the  functions  of  the  most  vital  organs  of 
the  human  system. 

Belts  and  Tight  Clothing.— A  great  many  wo- 
men who  do  not  wear  the  corset  or  who  would 
not  lace  themselves  with  steels  and  whalebones 
think  it  no  harm  to  wear  tight  belts,  and  much 
heavy  clothing  supported  entirely  from  the 
waist.  This  is  but  little  better  than  corset  wear- 
ing. While  the  tight  belt  and  heavy  skirt  will 
not  have  quite  so  much  effect  on  the  lungs, 
heart,  and  stomach,  they  have  their  effect  upon 
the  liver,  intestines,  and  the  lower  internal  or- 
gans, and  they  also  produce  a  bad  effect  on  the 
nervous  system. 

Common- Sense  Clothing.— Oi  the  two  sexes, 
man  is  much  the  stronger,  and  any  man  can  feel 
bad  effects  from  wearing  clothing  supported 
from  the  waist.  In  fact  the  universal  custom 
among  men  is  to  support  their  clothing  from 
their  shoulders ;  but  women,  who  are  the  weaker 
vessels,  almost  universally  support  their  clothing 
from  the  waist.    Any  woman  who  will  entirely 


108  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

discard  corset  wearing  and  the  supporting  of 
clothing  from  the  waist  will  in  a  very  short 
time  feel  amply  repaid  for  her  experiment. 

Some  women  after  wearing  a  corset  for  years, 
complain  that  they  feel  weak  and  unable  to  sup- 
port themselves  without  it.  This  is  one  of  the 
strongest  arguments  against  it.  The  muscles  of 
the  back  through  corset  wearing  are  deprived  of 
performing  their  natural  office,  consequently 
grow  weak.  If  a  bandag:e  is  put  on  the  arm,  or 
any  part  of  the  body,  so  that  the  muscles  can  not 
have  free  action,  the  muscles  will  soon  grow 
weak,  and  the  only  way  for  them  to  regain  their 
strength  is  to  take  off  the  bandage  and  allow 
them  to  resume  their  natural  work.  It  may  seem 
a  little  hard  at  first,  but  in  a  short  time  the 
muscles  will  regain  strength  and  all  will  go  well. 

It  is  possible  for  a  woman  to  dress  perfectly 
neat  and  still  have  every  garment  supported 
from  the  shoulders.  The  skirt-bands  may  have 
buttonholes.  A  waist  made  of  light  material, 
with  buttons  on,  will  serve  to  fasten  the  skirts  to, 
which  will  throw  the  weight  upon  the  shoulders ; 
or  if  preferred,  instead  of  the  buttons,  the  skirts 
may  be  sewed  on  to  a  waist.  For  underwear, 
nothing  is  more  healthful  and  comfortable  than 
union  suits,  which  are  also  supported  mainly 
from  the  shoulders.  What  a  grand  thing  it  would 
be  if  the  women  of  America  would  turn  a  deaf 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  109 

ear  to  fashion  and  give  more  heed  to  the  laws  of 
hygiene  and  common  sense.  In  a  great  many- 
cases  heavy  skirts,  and  much  clothing  that  is 
worn  only  for  looks,  could  be  done  away  with 
and  perfect  comfort  enjoyed. 

If  something  is  not  done  for  the  human  fami- 
ly very  soon  it  is  hard  to  estimate  what  a  few 
generations  will  bring  about.  At  the  present 
stage  of  advancement  and  civilization  young 
women  are  rushing  into  almost  every  business  in 
the  world,  in  many  cases  taking  the  place  of 
men,  and  the  female  organism  is  continually 
going  down  hill.  The  simple  pursuits  and  out- 
door exercise  of  our  grandmothers  gave  them 
vigor  and  strength  to  impart  to  their  offspring, 
but  those  who  are  occupied  in  sedentary^  em- 
ployment and  confined  indoors  most  of  the  time 
can  not  possibly  have  the  strength  and  vigor  of 
those  who  get  more  fresh  air.  This  together 
with  the  evil  effects  of  tight  lacing,  drunkenness, 
and  sexual  abuse  is  dragging  the  human  family 
fast  to  physical  destruction.  It  is  to  be  hoped, 
however,  that  the  many  good  books  that  are  now 
being  published  on  hygiene,  sexual  purity,  and 
kindred  subjects,  will  do  much  to  bring  about  a 
reformation  in  the  dress  and  habits  of  women. 


GLOSSARY. 


Abdomen. — The  part  of  the  body  between  th^ 
diaphragm  and  pelvis,  eontaiiwng  the  stomach, 
intestines,  etc. 

Abdominal.— Belonging  to  the  abdomen. 

Anatomy. — The  science  of  the  structure  of 
the  body. 

Anteflexion.— Bending  forward.  Applied  to 
the  uterus,  or  womb,  when  it  is  bent  forsvard 
upon  itself. 

Anteversion. — Turning  forward.  Applied  to 
the  womb  when  the  fundus  or  upper  part  is 
turned  forward  on  the  bladder  and  the  neck  is 
turned  baclnvard  on  the  rectum. 

Bladder  (urinary).— The  organ  situated  be- 
hind the  pubic  bone,  which  holds  the  urine  until 
its  expulsion. 

Broad  Ligaments  of  the  Uterus. — Folds  of  the 
peritoneum  which  support  the  womb  and  con- 
tain the  Fallopian  tubes  and  ovaries. 

Catamenia. — Monthly  flow  of  the  female. 

Climacteric. — The  change  of  life  in  women. 

Diaphragm. — A  muscular  partition  which  sep- 
arates the  chest  from  the  abdomen. 

Fallopian  Tube. — The  canal  through  which 
^he  ovum  passes  from  the  ovary  to  the  womb. 

ni 


112  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

Fecundation. — The  ovum  uniting  with  the 
male  germ;  impregnation. 

Flexion  of  the  Womb. —  A  partial  misplace- 
ment in  which  the  womb  is  bent  upon  itself. 

Function. — The  peculiar  action  of  an  organ, 
or  part  of  the  body. 

Functional. — Pertaining  to  the  specific  action 
of  an  organ  or  part. 

Generation. — The  function  of  begetting  or  re- 
producing. 

Genitals. — The  sexual  organs. 

Lascivious. — Lustful;  producing  unchaste 
emotions. 

Leucorrliea. — A  female  disorder  usually  called 
''whites." 

Ligaments  of  Uterus. — Ties  or  bands  which 
hold  the  womb  in  position.  The  ligaments  of 
the  womb  are  four  in  number,  two  of  which  are 
round  and  two  are  flat. 

Menses. — Monthly  flow  of  the  female. 

Menstruation. — The  bloody  evacuation  from 
the  womb. 

Mucous  Membrane. — The  thin  web-like  lining 
to  the  canals  and  cavities  which  secretes  a  fluid 
by  which  it  is  constantly  lubricated. 

Organic. — Pertaining  to  the  structure  of  an 
organ. 

Orifice. — Opening  or  mouth. 

Qva, — Plural  of  ovurti. 


TO  MOTHERS  AND  DAUGHTERS.  113 

Ovaries. — Two  ovoid  bodies  situated  either 
side  of  the  womb. 

Ovary.— The  female  organ  in  which  the  ovum, 
or  germ-cell,  is  formed. 

0 vitiation. — The  formation  of  the  germ-cell 
in  the  ovary  and  its  release  from  the  organ. 

Ovum. — An  egg. 

Pelvic— Belonging  to  and  relating  to  the 
pelvis. 

Pelvis. — The  lower  part  of  the  abdomen  or 
trunk,  composed  of  bone,  containing  the  genital 
and  urinary  organs;  supports  the  backbone  and 
is  supported  by  the  legs. 

Physiology. — The  science  which  treats  of  the 
phenomena  and  functions  of  animal  life. 

Procreation. — Production  or  generation  of 
offspring. 

Prolapsus. — A  falling  down  of  an  organ 
through  an  orifice,  as  the  womb,  bowel,  etc. 

Puberty.— The  age  at  which  the  subject  is 
capable  of  procreation. 

Rectum. — The  lower  part  of  the  intestines. 

P eproduction.— FrodvLcing  living  bodies  sim- 
ilar to  the  parents. 

Retroflexion. — Bending  backward.  Applied 
to  the  womb  when  it  is  bent  backward  upon 
itself. 

Retroversion. — A   change   in  the   position   of 


114  PRIVATE  LECTURES 

the  womb  in  which  the  top  falls  back  against 
the  rectum. 

Secretion. — The  process  by  which  substances 
are  separated  from  the  blood. 

Semen.— The  secretion  of  the  testicles  which 
is  thrown  out  during  sexual  intercourse  and 
contains  the  principle  of  generation. 

Seminal  Vesicles. — Reservoirs  for  the  sperm. 

Spermatozoa.— More  than  one  spermatozoon. 

Spermatozoon. — One  of  the  numberless  mi- 
croscopic bodies  contained  in  semen,  which  are 
the  means  of  impregnating  the  ovum  of  the 
female. 

Symptomatic— 'Pertammg  to  symptoms. 

Testicles. — Two  small  glandular  organs  which 
secrete  the  semen. 

Uterus— Womh. — The  organ  in  which  the 
fetus,  or  unborn  child,  is  developed. 

Vagina. — A  canal  five  or  six  inches  long,  lead- 
ing from  the  uterus  to  the  outside  of  the  body. 

Vaginal.— FertSimmg  to  the  vagina. 

Fersion.— Displacement  of  the  womb  for- 
wards or  backwards. 

Vesicles.  Small  bladders  or  sacs. 


LETTERS  OF  LOVE  AND  COUNSEL 


FOR  "OUR  GIRLS." 


BY   JENNIE    C.    RUTTY. 

331  pages.     Paper,  35c.;  cloth... 


$1.00 


This  is  a  companion  vol- 
ume to  ''Mothers'  Counsel 
to  Their  Sons,"  and  is 
written  in  the  same  win- 
ning personal  style.  The 
subject-matter  is  arranged 
in  the  form  of  lettere  to 
the  girls,  any  one  of  which 
is  worth  more  than  the 
price  of  the  book.  Has  had 
a  large   circulation. 

THE  CONTENTS  INCLUDE: 

Life,  Conversion,  Walking  in  Obedience— State 
of  Innocence,  "Blessed  Are  the  Pure  in  Heart," 
Baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  Sanctification,  Grow^ 
ing  in  Grace  and  in  the  Knowledge  of  God,  The 
Church  of  God,  A  Bible  Lesson,  One  Faith, 
Christian  Work,  Pride,  Dishonesty,  Pleasure, 
AmusementSj  Fashion,  Society  Life,  Novel  Read- 
ing, Dancing,  Flirting,  Secret  Sins,  Social  Evils, 
Love  and  Marriage,  Motherhood,  Home,  Afflic- 
tion, To  the  Sick  Girls  (Poem),  Death  and 
Heaven. 


MOTHERS'  COUNSEL  TO 

THEIR  SONS. 

BY   JENNIE    C.    RUTTY. 

436  pages.     Cloth $1.00 


\   i  i.    ;      Th£:ir:Sons  ■ 


wrrj  i  IIjenwec  KUTTYII 


Sometimes  we  see  a  fam^ 
ily  of  boys  and  girls  who 
show  no  signs  of  the  sins 
that  are  the  early  ruin  of 
many  others.  They  are 
healthy  and  happy,  pure 
and  noble,  and  excel  in 
what  they  undertake  to  do. 
On  inquiring  one  will  of- 
ten lind  that  these  children 
have  been  instructed  con- 
cerning vices  and  evil 
practises  and  \varned  against  them  from  in- 
fancy. But  not  all  fathei-s  and  mothers  are 
able  to  give  personal  talks  to  their  children  on 
some  delicate  subjects  that  are  very  important. 

THE  CHAPTERS  INCLUDE: 

Mothers  and  Sons,  Morality,  Home  Influence, 
Companionship,  Joys  and  Sorrows,  Honor,  No- 
bleness and  Beauty,  Education,  Habits,  The 
Tobacco  Habit,  Experience  in  the  Use  of  Tobac- 
co, Intemperance,  Rpp.ret  S>in.  As  Others  See 
It,  Social  Purity,  Courtship  and  Marriage, 
Amusements,  Business,  Religion — True  and 
False,  Salvation  in  Jesus,  Conviction,  Repent- 
ance—Conversion, Purity,  Baptism  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  The  Life  of  Faith,  The  Church  of  God, 
Pivine  Healing,  Time  and  Eternity. 


THE  SECRET  OF  SALVATION: 

HOW  TO  GET  IT,  AND  HOW  TO  KEEP  IT. 


$1.00 


BY  E.   E.  BYRUM. 

403  pages.     Paper,   35c. ;   cloth 

Since  this  book  was  fii^t 
issued  it  has  helped  many 
to  see  how  to  get  saved 
from  their  sins,  and  has  led 
believers  into  the  glorious 
Canaan  of 

SANCTIFiCATION. 

In  it  tlie  way  of  the 
Christian  is  made  phiin, 
and  tlie  reader  is  encour- 
aged to  live  close  to  the 
Lord. 


The  sick  are  shown  their  blood-bought  privi- 
leges to  be  healed  by  the  power  of  God,  and  also 
taught  how  to  retain  health  and  healing  and 
triumph  over  all  the  power  of  the  adversar5^ 

PRACTICAL  AND  VERY  HELPFUL. 

The  book  is  first  of  all  practical,  and,  by  the 
blessing  of  God,  will  prove  a  daily  help  to  those 
who  desire  to  live  successfully  here  and  gain 
h(vaven  in  the  next  world. 

A  FRIEND  IN  NEED. 

Those  passing  through  trials  and  temptations 
are  shown  how  to  obtain  the  needed  help.  The 
chapters  on  faith  and  prayer  will  aid  in  obtain- 
in  cr  what  God  has  in  store  for  his  children. 


THE  GRACE  OF  HEALING; 

OR,  CHRIST  OUR  PHYSICIAN. 


BY    J.    W.    BYERS. 

342  pages.     Paper,  35c. ;  cloth . . 


$1.00 


"The  redemption  of  the 
body,  by  the  work  of  Christ, 
as  truly  as  the  redemption 
of  the  soul,  is  a  palpable 
truth,  which  every  honest 
Bible  reader  must  sooner 
or  later  accept." 

OUR  REDEMPTION 
RIGHT. 

That  to  be  healed  by  God 
is  the  privilege  of  all  his 
children,  the  author  clearly 
proves  by  the  Word  of  Truth.  "If  we  have 
not  the  right  to  this,  what  blessing  in  the  atone- 
ment can  we  claim?  'With  his  stripes  we  are 
healed'  dare  not  be  subtracted  from  the  funda- 
mental principles  of  redemption." 

ALL  THROUGH  THE  BIBLE 

Divine  Healing  is  pointed  out  in  God's  cov- 
enant with  Israel,  in  prophecy,  in  the  life  and 
ministry  of  Christ,  in  the  death  of  Christ,  in 
his  resurrection,  and  in  the  acts  of  the  apostles. 

LIVING  WITNESSES 

testify  to  being  healed,  by  divine  power,  of 
paralysis,  heart  and  nervous  disease,  rheuma- 
tism, consumption,  pneumonia,  cancer,  chills 
and  fever,  female  trouble,  etc.,  etc. 


THE  BETTER  TESTAMENT; 

OR,  THE  TWO  TESTAMENTS  COMPARED. 

420  pages.     Cloth,  $1.00;  Half  Morocco.  .  .$1.50 

A  vast  number  of  pro- 
fessed Christians  are  to- 
day living  far  below 
their  privileges  in  the 
gospel.  Their  experi- 
ences lack  the  power  and 
glory  that  the  primitive 
Christians  enjoyed.  This 
is  largely  due  to  false 
teaching  regarding 
Christianity.  The  gos- 
pel is  confounded  with 
the  law  of  IMoses,  and 
the  experiences  of  the  men  who  lived  before  the 
time  of  Christ  are  held  up  as  the  standard  for 
the  Christian. 

"By  so  much  was  Jesus  made  surety  of  a 
better  testament."  Heb.  7:  22.  Every  sul3Ject  is 
treated  first  from  the  standpoint  of  the  Old 
Testament,  then  from  that  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment. 

SUBJECTS  THOROUGHLY  TREATED : 

The  Two  Laws;  The  Two  Covenants;  Salvation 
by  Works ;  Salvation  by  Faith ;  The  Law  of 
Bondage;  The  Law  of  Liberty;  The  Gospel  in 
the  Old  Testament;  The  Law  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament ;  Repentance ;  Justification ;  The  New 
Birth;  Holy  Living;  Consecration;  Sanctifica- 
tion ;  Holiness ;  The  Types  and  Antitypes  of  the 
Bible;  The  Atonement;  Marriage  and  Divorce- 
ment, etc. 


INDIA'S  MILLIONS. 

BY  A.  D.  KHAN,  A   CONVERTED   MOHAMMEDAN. 

270  pages.     Paper,  35c. ;  cloth $1.00 

This  is  an  account  of  the  land  and  the  people 
of  India,  with  a  brief  description  of  their  man- 
ners and  customs,  social  evils,  religious  rites  and 
ceremonies,  etc.,  etc.,  and  a  short  account  of  the 
author's  experience. 


A    HINDU    WOMAN    WORSHIPING    TPIE 
TULSI  PLANT. 

There  are  51  illustrations,  12  maps  and  dia- 
grams, which  help  to  make  the  book  of  great 
value  to  the  readers. 


THE  KINGDOM  OF  GOD, 

AND  THE  ONE  THOUSAND  YEARS'  REIGN. 


$1.00 


BY    H.    M.    RIGGLE. 

260  pages.     Paper,   30c.;  cloth 

At  the  present  time  thou- 
sands of  volumes  are  printed 
and  scattered  broadcast,  which 
point  the  people  to  a  future 
age  when  they  are  promised  a 
more  favorable  time  to  obtain 
salvation  than  is  enjoyed  now. 
Also,  this  millennial  doctrine 
has  a  firm  footing  in  many  pro- 
fessed Christian  pulpit  s. 
Lulled  to  rest  and  carnal  se- 
curity by  this  theory,  the 
masses  of  the  people  are  neglecting"  the  salva- 
tion of  their  souls.  Daily  some  of  them  are 
passing  into  eternity  unprepared  to  meet  God. 

Those  who  have  looked  forward  to  the  future 
for  a  realization  of  the  blessings  of  full  salva- 
tion and  victory  over  the  power  of  Satan,  will 
learn  from  this  book  their  glorious  privileges 
in  the  Lord  now. 

THE  CONTENTS  INCLTJDE: 

The  Nature  of  Clod's  Kingdom,  History  of  the 
Millennium,  The  Time  of  the  Establishment  of 
Christ's  Kingdom,  Christ  on  David's  Throne, 
The  Second  Coming  of  the  Lord  and  What 
Will  Follow,  The  First  Resurrection,  The  Abra- 
hamie  Covenant,  The  New  Jerusalem,  The  Bind- 
ing and  Loosing  of  the  Dragon,  Our  Future 
Home,  The  Signs  of  the  Times. 


MAN, 

HIS  PRESENT  AND  FUTURE. 

206  pages.     Cloth  50c 

Questions  concerning  the  state  of  man  after 
death  and  after  the  resurrection  are  everywhere 
asked  and  discussed  by  the  thoughtful  as  Avell  as 
by  the  careless.  Here  is  a  book  that  will  prove 
interesting  and  truly  instructive  to  those  who 
are  anxious  to  know  what  the  Scriptures  teach 
on  these  and  kindred  subjects.  Man's  soul  and 
the 

DOCTRINE  OF  MATERIALISM 
are  considered  and  the  latter  is  proved  to  be 
wrong.     A  chapter  is  devoted  to 

HADES, 
the  abode  of  spirits  between  the  death  of  the 
body  and  the  judgment.     This  book  makes  clear 
by  the  Word  of   God  the   Scriptural  truth   of 
final  and 

EVERLASTING  PUNISHMENT. 

The  following  table  of  contents  will  serve  as 
an  outline  of  what  is  contained  in  the  book : 

Man,  His  Present  State,  Materialism,  The 
Nature  of  Man  in  His  Present  State,  The  Hu- 
man Spirit  in  Union  with  an  Animal  Body, 
Death,  Death  a  Separation,  The  State  in  Which 
Human  Spirits  Are  Separated  from  Their  An- 
imal Bodies,  Confirming  Words  and  Dying  Tes- 
timonies, Hades— The  World  of  Departed 
Spirits,  Materialists'  Arguments  Considered, 
Conditional  Immortality,  The  Resurrection,  The 
General  Judgment,  The  Eternal  Home  of  the 
Redeemed,  The  Final  and  Eternal  Doom  of 
the  Wicked. 


THE  CHURCH  OFIGOD; 

OR,  WHAT  IS  THE  CHURCH, 

AND  WHAT  IT  IS  NOT. 

BY  D.  S.  WARNER. 

32  pages.    Per  doz.,  40c. ;  single  copy 5c 

Those  wishing  to  know  the  truth  of  the  Word 
of  God  on  this  matter  should  read  this  book,  in 
which  the  Scriptures  are  arranged  under  head- 
ings calculated  to  call  out  more  clearly  to  the 
mind  the  trutlis  contained  upon  this  important 
subject.  Headings  are  as  follows:  What  Is  the 
Church?  Who  Is  the  Founder  of  the  Church? 
When  Was  the  Church  Built  ?  AVho  Is  Its  Foun- 
dation ?  Who  Is  the  Head  of  the  Church  ?  What 
Is  the  Door  of  the  Church  ?  AVho  Takes  Members 
into  the  Church?  Who  Are  Members  of  the 
Church?  Who  Organizes  the  Uhurch?  How 
Many  Churches  Has  God?  Does  the  Bible 
Speak  of  More  Than  One  Church?  Does  the 
Bible  Teach  the  Unity  of  All  Believers?  What 
Is  the  Basis  of  Union?  What  Is  the  Bond  of 
Union?  What  Experience  Perfects  Us  in  One- 
ness? What  Is  a  Sect?  What  Does  the  Bible  Say 
of  Sects?  Can  We  Observe  the  Ordinances  Out- 
side All  Sects?  Can  We  Meet  to  Worship  With- 
out a  Sect?  Is  the  Church  Visible  Without  a 
Sect  Organization?  In  Coming  Out  of  Sects  Do 
We  Have  to  Form  Another  Sect? 

DUTY  OF  PARENTS. 

31  pages.     Per  doz.,  40c. ;  single  copy 5c 

A  small  but  most  helpful  little  work  which 
should  be  read  by  every  parent. 


CHRISTIAN  CONDUCT; 

OR,  THE  WAY  TO  HEAVEN. 

BY   CHAS.   E.    ORE. 

68  pages.    Paper,  lOe. ;  cloth 25c 

Among  the  subjects  are:  Christian  Experi- 
ence, Regeneration,  Sanctification,  Christianity 
in  Home  Life,  Husband's  Duty  to  the  Wife, 
Wife's  Duty  to  the  Husband,  Parents'  Duty  to 
Their  Children,  Children's  Duty  to  Their  Par- 
ents, Christianity  in  Public  Life,  Christianity 
(Poem). 

THE  BOY'S  COMPANION. 

BY  E.   E.  BYRUM. 

Illustrated.  Published  in  German  (Paper  only). 
92  pages.    Paper,  10c. ;  cloth 25c 

This  is  a  book  intended  especially  for  boys 
and  young  men,  instructing  them  in  matters 
of  peculiar  interest  that  all,  after  reaching  the 
proper  age,  should  know.  "My  people  are  de- 
stroyed for  lack  of  knowledge."  Hosea  4:6. 
Let  the  'boys  read  this  book  and  be  properly 
informed. 

SALVATION,  PRESENT,  PERFECT, 

NOW  OR  NEVER. 

BY  D.  S.  WARNER. 

118  pages.     Paper,  15c. ;  cloth. 35c 

Published  also  in  German. 

This  little  volume  contains  most  precious 
and  cheering  words  of  comfort  and  consolation 
for   all   who   desire  to   reach   heaven. 


THE  GOSPEL  TRUMPET. 

Per  year    $1.00 

To  foreign  countries   1.50 

A   WEEKLY   HOLINESS  JOURNAL. 

Definite,  Radical,  and  Anti-sectarian,  sent 
forth  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesiis  Christ,  for 
the  publication  of  Full  Salvation,  Divine  Heal- 
ing of  the  Body,  and  the  Unity  of  all  True 
Christians  in  ''the  faith  once  delivered  to  the 
saints."     It  contains 

CHOICE  POETRY  AND  ARTICLES 

of  instruction  in  the  Word  of  God  on  various 
themes  and  doctrinal  subjects  of  the  Bible. 

DIVINE  HEAHNG  DEPARTMENT 
on  the  eighth  page  consists  of  instructive  arti- 
cles on  that  subject,  also  striking  testimonies 
and  experiences  of  those  who  have  been  healed 
by  the  power  of  God,  the  perusal  of  which  will 
inspire  the  reader  with  faith  in  God. 

THE  SHINING  LIGHT. 

AN    ILLUSTRATED    PAPER    FOR  THE   CHIL- 
DREN   AND    SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 

Single  copy,   one  year $0.25 

Ten  copies,  three  months  (to  one  address) .     .50 
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The  paper  contains  four  pages,  and  is  of  in- 
terest to  both  young  and  old.  Contains  beauti- 
ful Bible  stories,  interesting  articles  of  home 
life,  travels,  poetry,  Bible  lessons  and  pictures 
which  please  and  instruct  the  children, 


BOOKS. 

Books  That  "Will  Aid  in  the  Development  of  a  Deeper 
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Bible  Readings  for  Bible  Students  and 

for  the  Home  and  Fireside.           Cloth  $1.50 

The  Cleansing  of  the  Sanctuary.           "  1.50 
Nineteen    Hundred   Years   of    Church 

History.                                    "  1.50 

Divine  Healing  of  Soul  and  Body.     "  1.00 

IMothers'  Counsel  to  Their  Sons.            "  1.00 

The  Gospel  Day.           Paper,  35c.;         "  1.00 

Familiar  Names  and  Faces.                    "  1.35 

Is  the  Negro  a  Beast?                              "  .60 
The   Great  Physician  and  His  Power 

to  Heal      Paper,  20c.;         "  .50 

Behind  the  Prison  Bars.  Paper,  25c.;     "  .50 

What  Shall  I  Do  To  Be  Saved?            "  .50 

Modern  Spiritualism  Exposed.               "  .50 

Ordinances  of  the  Bible.  Paper,  15c. ;     "  .35 

Life  Sketches  of  Mother  Smith.       Paper  .10 

Sanctification.                                            "  .10 

Two  Works  of  Grace.                               "  .10 

Tobacco  and  Its  Effects.                         "  .10 
Missionary   Baptists    Not   the    Church 

of  God.                                    "  .10 

The  Millennium.                                        "  .05 

Bible  Humility.                                         "  .05 

Marriage   and  Divorce.                            "  .05 

The  Sabbath.                                             "  .05 

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